5.24. Cadwan is made king of the Britains in the citie of Chester, he leuieth a power a|gainst Ethelfred king of the Northumbers, co|uenants of peace passe betwixt them vpon condi|tion, the death of Ethelbert king of Kent, where he and his wife were buried, of his lawes; Eadbald succeedeth E|thelbert in the Kentish kingdome, his lewd and vnholie life, he is an enimie to religion; he is plagued with madnesse; He|bert king of the Eastsaxons dieth, his three sonnes refuse to be baptised, they fall to idolatrie and hate the professours of the truth, their irreligious talke and vndutifull behauiour to bi|shop Melitus, he and his fellow Iustus passe ouer into France, the three sonnes of Hebert are slaine of the Westsaxons in bat|tell, the Estsaxons by their idolatrie prouoke archbishop Lau|rence to forsake the land, he is warned in a vision to tarie, whereof he certifieth king Eadbald, who furthering christianitie, sendeth for Melitus and Iustus, the one is restored to his see, the other reiected, Melitus dieth, Iustus is made archbishop of Canturburie, the christian faith increaseth. The xxiiij. Chapter.

Cadwan is made king of the Britains in the citie of Chester, he leuieth a power a|gainst Ethelfred king of the Northumbers, co|uenants of peace passe betwixt them vpon condi|tion, the death of Ethelbert king of Kent, where he and his wife were buried, of his lawes; Eadbald succeedeth E|thelbert in the Kentish kingdome, his lewd and vnholie life, he is an enimie to religion; he is plagued with madnesse; He|bert king of the Eastsaxons dieth, his three sonnes refuse to be baptised, they fall to idolatrie and hate the professours of the truth, their irreligious talke and vndutifull behauiour to bi|shop Melitus, he and his fellow Iustus passe ouer into France, the three sonnes of Hebert are slaine of the Westsaxons in bat|tell, the Estsaxons by their idolatrie prouoke archbishop Lau|rence to forsake the land, he is warned in a vision to tarie, whereof he certifieth king Eadbald, who furthering christianitie, sendeth for Melitus and Iustus, the one is restored to his see, the other reiected, Melitus dieth, Iustus is made archbishop of Canturburie, the christian faith increaseth. The xxiiij. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _AFter that the Britains had cõtinued about the space Cadwan king of Bri|taine. almost of 24 yéeres without anie one speciall gouernour, being led by sundrie rulers, e|uer sithens that Careticus was constreined to flée ouer Seuerne, and fought often|times not onelie against the Saxons, but also one of them against another, at length in the yéere of our Lord 613,613 they assembled in the citie of Chester, and there elected Cadwan that before was ruler of Northwales, to haue the souereigne rule & gouerne|ment ouer all their nation, and so the said Cadwan began to reigne as king of Britaine in the said yéere 613. But some authors say, that this was in the yéere 609, in which yéere Careticus the British king departed this life. And then after his deceasse the Britains or Welshmen (whether we shall call EEBO page image 106 them) chose Cadwan to gouerne them in the foresaid yéere 609, which was in the 7 yéere of the emperour Phocas, and the 21 of the second Lotharius king of France, and in the 13 yéere of Kilwoolfe king of the Westsaxons.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This Cadwan being established king, shortlie af|ter assembled a power of Britains, and went against the foresaid Ethelfred king of Northumberland, who being thereof aduertised, did associate to him the most part of the Saxon princes, and came foorth with his armie to méet Cadwan in the field. Herevpon as they were readie to haue tried the matter by bat|tell, certeine of their friends trauelled so betwixt them for peace, that in the end they brought them to agréement, so that Ethelfred should kéepe in quiet possession those his countries beyond the riuer of Humber, and Cadwan should hold all that which ofGal. Mon. right belonged to the Britains on the south side of the same riuer. This couenant with other touching their agréement was confirmed with oths solemnelie ta|ken, and pledges therewith deliuered, so that after|wards they continued in good and quiet peace, with|out vexing one an other.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 What chanced afterward to Ethelfred, ye haue before heard rehersed, which for that it soundeth more like to a truth than that which followeth in the Bri|tish booke, we omit to make further rehersall, passing forward to other dooings which fell in the meane sea|son, whilest this Cadwan had gouernement of the Britains, reigning as king ouer them the tearme of 22, or (as some say) but 13 yéeres,Iohn Hard. and finallie was slaine by the Northumbers, as before hath béene, and also after shall be shewed.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the 8 yéere after that Cadwan began to reigne, Ethelbert king of Kent departed this life, in the 21 yéere after the comming of Augustine with his fellowes to preach the faith of Christ here in this realme: and after that Ethelbert had reigned ouer the prouince of Kent the tearme of 56 yéeres (as Beda saith, but there are that haue noted thrée yéeres lesse) he departed this world, as aboue is signified, in the yeere of our Lord 617,Wil. Malm. Beda. li. 2. cap. 5 on the 24 day of Fe|bruarie, and was buried in the Ile of saint Martine, within the church of the apostles Peter and Paule, without the citie of Canturburie, where his wife quéene Bartha was also buried, and the foresaid archbishop Augustine that first conuerted him to the faith.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Amongst other things, this king Ethelbert with the aduise of his councell ordeined diuers lawes and statutes, according to the which decrées of iudge|ments should passe: those decrées he caused to be written in the English toong, which remained and were in force vnto the daies of Beda, as he decla|reth. And first it was expressed in those lawes, what amends he should make that stole anie thing that be|longed to the church, to the bishop, or to anie ecclesi|asticall person, willing by all means to defend them whose doctrine he had receiued.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 AFter the deceasse of Ethelbert, his sonne Ead|baldEadbald. succéeded in the gouernment of his king|dome of Kent, the which was a great hinderer of the increase of the new church amongst the English|men in those parties: for he did not onelie refuse to be baptised himselfe, but also vsed such kind of forni|cation, as hath not béene heard (as the apostle saith) amongst the Gentiles, for he tooke to wife his mo|ther in law, that had béene wife to his father. By which two euill examples, manie tooke occasion to re|turne to their heathenish religion, the which whilest his father reigned,The princes example occa|sion of euill. either for the prince his pleasure, or for feare to offend him, did professe the christian faith. But Eadbald escaped not woorthie punishment to him sent from the liuing God for his euill deserts, insomuch that he was vexed with a certeine kind of madnesse, and taken with an vncleane spirit.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The foresaid storme or vnquiet troubling of the christian congregation, was afterwards greatlie in|creased also by the death of Sabert or Sebert king of the Eastsaxons, who was conuerted to the faith of Christ, and baptized by Melitus bishop of London (as before is mentioned) & departing this life to go to a better in the blissefull kingdome of heauen, he left behind him thrée sonnes as true successours in the estate of his earthlie kingdome, which sonnes like|wise refused to be baptised. Their names were Ser|red, Seward, & Sigebert, Ran. Cest. Beda li. 2. cap. 5 Serred, Se|ward, and Se|gebert, the sonnes of Sabert. men of an ill mind, & such as in whome no vertue remained, no feare of God, nor anie respect of religion, but speciallie hating the professours of the christian faith. For after their father was dead, they began to fall to their old idola|trie, which in his life time they séemed to haue giuen ouer, insomuch that now they openlie worshipped i|dols, and gaue libertie to their subiects to do the like.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 And when the bishop Melitus, at the solemnizing of masse in the church, distributed the eucharisticall bread vnto the people, they asked him (as it is said) wherfore he did not deliuer of that bright white bread vnto them also, as well as he had béene accustomed to doo to their father Saba (for so they vsed to call him.) Unto whome the bishop made this answer:

If you will be washed in that wholesome fountaine, wherein your father was washed, ye may be parta|kers of that holie bread whereof he was partaker, but if you despise the washpoole of life, ye may by no meanes tast the bread of saluation.

But they of|fended herewith, replied in this wise:

We will not enter into that fountaine, for we know we haue no néed thereof: but yet neuerthelesse we will be refre|shed with that bread.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 After this, when they had beene earnestlie and ma|nie times told, that vnlesse they would be baptised, they might not be partakers of the sacred oblation: at length in great displeasure they told him, that if he would not consent vnto them in so small a mat|ter, there should be no place for him within the bounds of their dominion, and so he was constrai|ned to depart. Wherevpon he being expelled, resor|ted into Kent, there to take aduise with his fellow-bishops, Laurence and Iustus, what was to be doone in this so weightie a matter. Who finallie resolued vpon this point, that it should be better for them to returne into their countrie, where with frée minds they might serue almightie God, rather than to re|maine amongest people that rebelled against the faith, without hope to doo good amongest them. Wherefore Melitus and Iustus did depart first, and went ouer into France, minding there to abide till they might sée what the end would be. But shortlie after, those brethren the kings of Essex, which had expelled their bishop in maner aboue said, suffered woorthilie for their wicked dooings. For going forth to battell against the Westsaxons, they were ouer|throwen and slaine altogither with all their armie,The sonne of king Sebert slaine. by the two kings Kinigils and Quichelme. But neuerthelesse, albeit the authors of the mischiefe were thus taken awaie, yet the people of that coun|trie would not be reduced againe from their di|uelish woorshipping of false gods, being eftsoones fallen thereto in that season by the incouragement and perilous example of their rulers. Wherefore the archbishop Laurence was in mind also to follow his fellowes Melitus and Iustus: but when he minded to set forward, he was warned in a dreame, and cru|ellie scourged (as hath beene reported by the apostle saint Peter, who reprooued him) for that he would so vncharitablie for sake his flocke, & leaue it in danger without a shepherd to kéepe the woolfe from the fold.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 EEBO page image 107 The archbishop imboldned by this vision, and also repenting him of his determination, came to king Eadbald, and shewed to him his stripes, and the ma|ner of his dreame. The king being herewith put in great feare, renounced his heathenish worshipping of idols, and was baptised, and as much as in him laie, from thenceforth succoured the congregation of the christians, and aduanced the church to his power. He sent also into France, and called home the bishops Melitus and Iustus, so that Iustus was restored to his sée of Rochester.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 But the Eastsaxons would not receiue Melitus to his sée at London, but continued in their wicked mawmetrie, in obeieng a bishop of their pagan law, whom they had erected for that purpose. Neither was king Eadbald of that authoritie and power in those parties, as his father was before, whereby he might constreine them to receiue their lawfull bi|shop. But suerlie the said king Eadbald with his people, after he was once conuerted againe, gaue himselfe wholie to obeie the lawes of GOD, and a|mongst other déeds of godlie zeale, he builded a church to our ladie at Canturburie,Beda lib. 2. within the mo|nasterie of saint Peter, afterwards called saint Ag|nes. This church was consecrated by Melitus, who after the death of Laurence succéeded in gouernance of the archbishops sée of Canturburie. After Meli|tus, who departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 624, Iustus that before was bishop of Rochester, was made archbishop of Canturburie,Beda. lib. 2. ca. 8. and ordeined one Romanus to the sée of Rochester. About that time, the people of the north parts beyond Humber receiued the faith, by occasion (as after shall appéere.)