5.90. Alvred or Alfred.

Alvred or Alfred.

[figure appears here on page 211]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 AFter the deceaſe of King Ethelred, his bro|ther Alvred or Alfrede ſucceeded him,Alvred or Al|fred. and beganne hys reigne ouer the Weaſt Saxons, and other the more parte of the people of En|glande, in the yeare of our Lorde eyght hundred ſeuentie and two, whiche was in the ninteenth yeere of the Emperour Lewys the ſeconde,871. as Math. VVeſt. & Si [...] Duneſmen. do [...] note [...]. H. Hunt. and two and thirtieth yeare of the reigne of Char|les, ſurnamed Caluus or the balde Kyng of Fraunce, and about the eleuenth yeare of Con|ſtantine the ſeconde king of Scotland.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Although that this Alvred was ſacred King in his fathers lyfe tyme by Pope Leo (as before you haue heard,) yet was he not admitted king at home, till after the deceaſe of his three elder brethren: for he being the youngeſt, was kepte backe from the gouernement, though he were for his wiſedome and policie moſt highly eſteemed and had in all honour.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the beginning of his reigne he was wrap|ped in many great troubles and miſeries,Alvred perſe|cuted by Da|nes. ſpeci|ally by the perſecution of the Danes, whiche made ſore and gree [...]ous warres in ſundry parts of this lande, deſtroying the ſame in moſte EEBO page image 212 cruell wyſe. About a moneth after he was made kyng,Mat. VVeſt. he gaue battayl to the Danes at Wilton, hauing with him no great number of people, ſo that although in the beginning the Danes that day were put to the worſe,The Danes ob| [...]eyne the vic|torie. yet in the end they ob|teined the victorie. Shortly after, a truce was ta|ken betwixt the Danes and the Weſtſaxons. And the Danes that hadde lyen at Reading,The Danes [...]vintered at London. re|moued from thence vnto London, where they laye all the winter ſeaſon.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the ſeconde yeare of Alvred his reigne, the Danyſhe kyng Halden ledde the ſame armye from London into Lindſey, and there lodged all that Winter at Torkſey.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the yeare following, the ſame Halden in|uaded Mercia,874. [...]epton. and wintred at Ripingdon. Ther were come to him three other leaders of Danes, whiche our writers name to be kings, Godrun, Eſketell, and Ammond, ſo that their power was greatly increaſed.Burthred king Mercia.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Burthred king of Mercia whiche had gouer|ned that countrey by the ſpace of .xxij. yeres, was not able to withſtande the puiſſance of thoſe eni|mies. And ſo thervpon he was conſtrained to a|uoyde the countrey, & wente to Rome, where he departed this lyfe, and was buried in the Church of our Ladie, neere to the Engliſhe ſchoole.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 875.In the fourth yere of king Alvred the armie of the Danes deuided it ſelfe into two partes, ſo that king Halden with one parte therof went in|to Northumberlande,The Danes [...]vente into Northumber|lande. & lay in the winter ſeaſon nere to the riuer of Tyne, where hee deuided the countrey amongſt his men, and remayned there for the ſpace of two yeares, and oftentymes fet|ched thither booties and prayes out of the coun|trey of the Pictes The other part of the Daniſh army with the iij. aforſaid kings or leaders came vnto Cambridge,The Danes at Cambridge. & remained there a whole yere. And the ſame yeere king Alvred foughte by ſea with vij. ſhips of Danes, toke one of them, & cha|ſed the reſidue.876. In the yeare next enſuing, the [figure appears here on page 212] Danes came into the countreye of the Weaſt|ſaxons, and king Alvred tooke truce with them againe,The Dane tooke an [...] H. Hunt. and they ſware to him (whiche they had not vſed to doe to any afore that tyme) that they woulde departe the countrey.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Theyr armie by ſea ſaylyng from Warham towarde Exceſter,The Dane vvent to Ex|ceſter. ſuſteyned great loſſe by tem|peſte, for there peryſhed ſyxe ſcore ſhyppes at Swanewicke.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer the armie of Danes by land went to Exceſter in breache of the truce, and Kyng Alvred followed them, but coulde not ouertake them tyll they came to Exceſter, and there he ap|proched them in ſuche wyſe, that they were glad to deliuer pledges for performaunce of ſuch co|uenauntes as were accorded betwixte him and them.H. Hunt. And ſo then they departed out of the coun|trey, and drewe into Mercia. But ſhortly after, when they had the whole gouernemente of the lande, from Thames northward, they thought it not good to ſuffer king Alvred to continue in reſt with the reſidue of the coũtreys beyõd the Tha|mes. And therefore the three aforeſayd rulers of Danes, Godrun, Eſketell, and Ammound, in|uading the countreye of Weaſtſaxons came to Chipnham, diſtant .xvij. myles from Briſtow,877. and there pitched their tentes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 [Kyng Alvred aduertiſed heereof, Polyd. Of this ſpea|keth [...] ſo that all betvvine the hooked [...] is taken [...] of Polydore. haſted thy|ther, and lodging with his armie nere to the eni|myes, prouoked them to battayle. The Danes perceyuyng that eyther they muſte fyghte for theyr lyues, or dye wyth ſhame, boldely came foorthe, and gaue battayle. The Engliſhemen raſhely encounter with them, and thoughe that they were ouermatched with number, yet with ſuche violence they giue the onſette, that the eni|mies at the firſt were abaſhed of their hardie aſ|ſaultes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But when it was perceiued that theyr ſlen|der ranckes were not able to reſiſte the thycke leghers of the enimies, they beganne to ſhrinke and looke backe one for an other, and ſo of force were conſtrayned to retyre: And therewithall did caſte themſelues into a ryng, which though it ſeemed to bee the beſte waye that coulde bee deuyſed for theyr ſafetie, yet by the great force and number of theyr ennimies on eache ſyde aſſaylyng them, they were ſo thronged togy|ther on heapes, that they hadde not roome to ſturre theyr weapons. Whyche diſaduantage notwythſtandyng, they ſlewe a greate num|ber of the Danes, and amongeſt other, Hubba the brother of Agnere,Hubba [...]. with manye other of the Daniſhe capitaines.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 At length the Engliſhmen hauing valyant|ly foughten a long tyme wyth the enymies, whyche hadde compaſſed them aboute, at laſte they brake out and got them to theyr campe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 To bee briefe, this battayle was foughten with EEBO page image 213 with so equall fortune, The victorie [...]. that no man knewe to whether parte the victorie ought to be ascribed. But after that they were once seuered, they toke heed to cure their hurt menne, and to burye the dead bodies, namely the Danes enterred the bodie of their capitayn Hubba with greate funerall pompe & solemnitie: which done, they kept foorth theyr iorney till they came to Abingdon, Abingdon. whither the Englishe armie shortely after came also, and encamped fast by the enemies.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In this meane whyle, the rumor was spread abroade that the king Alvred had bin discomfited by the Danes, bycause that in the laste battayle hee withdrewe to his campe. This turned greatly to his aduantage: for therby a great number of englishmen hasted to come to his succour.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The morow after his comming to Abingdon he brought his armie ready to fight into the field, The Danes [...] Englishemen fight neere to Abingdon. neyther the enimies were slacke on their parts to receyue the battayle, and so the two armies ioyned & fought right sore on both sydes: so that it seemed the Englishmen had not to do with those Danes, whiche had bin diuers tymes before discomfited and put to flight, but rather with some newe people fresh and lustie: neyther the one part nor the other was mynded to giue it ouer: in so muche that the horsemen alyghting on foote, and puttyng their horses from them, entred the battayle [figure appears here on page 213] emongst the footmen, and thus they continued with equall aduantage till night came on, whiche parted the affray, being one of the sorest foughten fieldes that had bin hearde off in those days. To whether partie a man might iustly attribute the victorie, Vncertayne victorie. Th [...]s farre Po|lydore. it was vtterlye vncertayne, with so lyke losse and gayn the matter was tried and ended betwixt them.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 With the ſemblable chaunce of daunger and glorie .vij. times that yeare did the Engliſhe and Danes encounter in battail, as writers haue re|corded.

Ran. Higden. Se [...]en ſoughtẽ fieldes in one yeare betvvixt Danes and En|glishmen.

A peace agreed vpon.

And at lengthe when their powers on bothe partes were ſore diminiſhed, they agreed vppon a peace, with theſe conditions, That the Danes ſhoulde not attempte any further warre againſt the Engliſhmenne, nor bring into this lande any newe ſupplye of ſouldioures ou [...]e of Denmarke.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Danes ſo|iourned at Lõ|don.The ſame yeare the Danes ſoiourned in the winter ſeaſon at London, according as they had done often tymes before.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Aboute the ſame tyme or ſhortely after, there came into Englande one Rollo,An .876. ſayeth Sim. Dunelm. a noble man of Denmark or Norway, with a great armie, and (notwithſtanding the peace conclude [...] betweene the Engliſhmen and the Danes,) he beganne to waſt and deſtroy the countrey.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Alvred hearing theſe newes, wyth all ſpeede, thoughte beſte [...] the beginning to ſtoppe ſuche a common miſchiefe, and immediately aſſembling his people, [...] againſt the enimies, and gaue them battaile, in the which [...] a great number of men on both ſides, but the grea|ter [...]offe fel to Rollo his armie. Yet Matthewe Weſtin. ſayeth, that the Engliſhemen were put to flight.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After this, it chaunced, that Rollo beeing warned in a [...]reame, left Englande, and ſayled ouer into France, wher he [...] fortune ſo fauo|rable to him, that hee obteined in that region for him and his people a countrey, the whiche was afterwardes named Normandie,xxx. yeares af|ter this he vvas baptiſed. of thoſe Nor|therne people, whiche then began to inhabite the ſame, as in the hiſtorie [...] of Fraunce you may ſee more at large.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Danes which had [...] peace with king Alvred (as before you ha [...]e he [...]d) ſhortly af|ter, vpon the firſt occaſion, br [...]ke the [...], & by the often inuaſions whiche they made into the countrey of Weſtſaxons, brought the [...] to EEBO page image 214 that paſſe,King Alured driuen to his his shifte. that there remayned to king Alvred, but onely the three countreis of Hamſhire, Wil|ſhire, and Somerſetſhire, inſomuch that he was conſtrained for a time to kepe himſelf cloſe with|in the fennes and maeriffe groundes of Somer|ſetſhire, with ſuch ſmall companies as he had a|boute him, conſtreyned to get their liuing wyth fiſhing, hunting, and other ſuche ſhiftes. He re|mayned for the moſt part within an Iſle called Edelynſey,Edlingſey. that is to meane, the Ilande of no|ble menne, enuironed aboute with fennes and marriſſes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Whyles he was thus ſhut vp within this I|land, he was by dreame aduertiſed of better hap ſhortly to follow: For as it hath bene ſaid, Saint Cuthbert appeared to him as he lay in ſleepe,A viſion if is be true. and comforted him, declaring vnto him, that within a whyle Fortune ſhoulde ſo turne that he ſhoulde recouer againe his kingdome to the confuſion of his enimies: and to aſſure him, that this ſhould proue true, he told him that his men which were gone abroade to catche fiſhe, ſhould bring home great plentie, although the ſeaſon was agaynſte them, by reaſon that the waters were froſen, and that a colde time fell that morning, to the hin|derance of their purpoſe. His mother alſo at that tyme being in ſleepe, ſaw the like viſion. And as they had dreamed, ſo it came to paſſe: for being awakened of their ſleepe, in came his men with ſo great foyſon of fiſhe, that the ſame might haue ſuffized a great armie of men, for the victualling of them at that ſeaſon.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Shortly after, kyng Alvred tooke vpon hym the habite of a Minſtrell, and going foorth of his cloſure, repaired to the campe of the Danyſhe king,King Alvred diſguiſeth hym ſelfe. Polidore. only accompanied with one truſty ſeruant, and tarrying there certaine dayes togither, was ſuffered to goe into euery parte, and play on hys inſtrument, as well afore the king as others, ſo that there was no ſecrete,Fabian. but that hee vnder|ſtoode it.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After that he had ſeene and learned the demea|nour of his enimies, he returned againe to hys people at Edlingſey, and there declared to hys nobles what he had ſeene and heard, what negli|gence was amongſt the enimies, and howe eaſy a matter it ſhoulde bee for him to endomage them.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Heerevpon they conceyuing a meruaylous good hope, and enboldened wyth his wordes, a power was aſſembled togither, and ſpyes ſente foorth to learne and bring word where the Da|nes lodged: which being done, & certificat made accordyngly,H. Hunt. 878 877. Mat. VVest. Kyng Alvred commyng vppon them on the ſodayn, ſlew of them a great num|ber, hauyng them at great aduauntage.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Also about the same tyme the brother of king Halden came with thirtie and three ships out of Wales into the countreye of Westsaxons, on the coaste of Deuonshire, where the Deuonshire men gaue him battaile, and slewe him with 840. persons of his retinue. Other write, that Halden himself was present at this conflict, with Inguare, otherwise called Hungar, and that they were both slayne there, S. Dun. with twelue hundred of their companye (before a certayne castell called Kynwith) receyuing as they hadde deserued for their cruel dealing lately by them practised in the parties of Southwales, where they had wasted all afore them with fyre and sworde, not sparing Abbeys more than other common buyldings.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Alvred beeing with that goodlucke the more comforted, builded a fortreſſe in the Ile of Edlingſey, afterwardes called Athelney,Athelney. & brea|king out oftentymes vpon the enimyes, diſtreſ|ſed them at ſundrie tymes wyth the ayde of the Somerſetſhiremen, which were at hande.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Aboute the ſeuenth weeke after Eaſter, in the ſeuenth yeare of hys reigne, kyng Alvred went to Eglerighſton, on the Eaſt parte of S [...]|wood, where there came to him the people of So|merſetſhire, Wy [...]ſhyre, and Hamſhyre, reioy|cing greatly to ſee him abroade.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 From thence he wente to Edanton,Edanton and there fought againſt the armie of the Danes,This battayle should ſeene the [...] the Polydor ſpea|keth of [...] a [...] [...]. and ch [...]|ſed them vnto their ſtrength, where he remained afore them the ſpace of foureteene dayes: and then the armie of the Danes deliuered hym [...]|ſtages and couenaunts to departe out of his do|minions, and that their king ſhould be baptiſed,Polych [...]. l. Pike. which was accompliſhed: for Gurthrun whom ſome name Gurmound, a prince or king amon|geſt theſe Danes, came to Alvred,Gurthrun or Gu [...]mois bap|tiſed, and na|med Adelſtan, is made king of Eaſtangle. and was bap|tiſed, king Alvred receyuyng hym at the Font|ſtone, named hym Adelſtane, and gaue to [...] the countrey of Eaſtangle, whyche hee gouer|ned, (or rather ſpoyled,) by the ſpace of twelue yeares.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Dyuers other of the Daniſhe nobilitie to the number of thirtie, (as Simon Dunelmenſis hathe) came the ſame tyme in companye of theyr kyng Guthrun, and were lykewyſe bap|tyſed, on whome kyng Alvred alſo beſtowed many riche giftes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The ſame tyme (as is to bee thought) was the league concluded betwyxte kyng Alvred, and the ſayde Guthrun or Gythrun, in the whyche the boundes of kyng Alureds kyng|dome are ſette foorth thus:

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Fyrſte therefore lette the boundes or mar|ches of oure dominion ſtretche vnto the ryuer of Thames, and from thence to the water of Lee, euen vnto the head of the ſame water,Vſ [...]. and ſo foorth ſtreight vnto Bedforde: and finally go|ing alongſt by the riuer of Ouſe, lette them ende at Watlingſtreete.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 EEBO page image 215This league beeing made with the aduiſe of the ſage perſonages as well Engliſh as Danes that inhabited within Eſt England, is [...]et [...]oorth in maiſter Lamberts booke of the olde Engliſhe lawes, in the ende of thoſe lawes or ordinaun|ces whyche were eſtabliſhed by the ſame kyng Alvred, as in the ſame booke ye maye ſee more at large. But nowe to proceed.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Here is to bee noted, that oure writers name dyuerſe of the Danyſh Capitaines kyngs, of the whyche no mention is made in the Danyſhe Chronicles, to reygne in thoſe parties.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But true it is, that in thoſe dayes, not one|ly the Danyſhe people, but alſo other of thoſe Northeaſt countreyes or Regyons, as Swe|daners, Norweygians, the Wenden, and ſuch other, whyche the Englyſhe people called by one generall name Danes, and the Frenchmen, Normans, vſed to roaue on the Seas, and to inuade forrayne Regions, as England, France, Flaunders, and others, as in conueniente pla|ces ye maye fynde, as well in oure Hyſtories as alſo in the writers of the Frenche Hyſtories, and lykewyſe in the Chronicles of thoſe North Re|gyons.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Wryters [...]eryly of the Daniſhe Chro|nicles, make mention of one Gurmo,Gurmo. whome they name Anglum; bycauſe hee was borne here in Englande, whiche ſucceeded his father Frotto in gouernemente of the kyngdome of Denmarke, whiche Frotto receyued baptiſme in Englande, as in their hiſtorie you may reade more at large.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the ryght yere of kyng Alvred his reigne,H. Hunt. 878. the armye of the Danes wyntered at C [...]ce|ſter, and the ſame yeare an other armie of [...]an|gers called VVinerg [...], lay at Fulham, and in the yeare following, departed foorth of Englande, and wente into Fraunce; and the armye of king Godrun or Gurmo departed from Cirenceſter, 879. Si. Dunel [...]. Mat. VVeſt. and came into Eaſt angle, and there deuidyng the countrey amongeſt them, beganne to inha|bite the ſame.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the .xiiij. yeare of king Alvred his reigne, parte of the Daniſhe armie whiche was gone o|uer into Fraunce, returned into England and beſieged Rocheſter.Rocheſter be|ſieged. 885. But when Alvred appro|ched to the reſk [...]e, the enimies fledde to theyr ſhippes, and paſſed ouer the ſea agayne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Alvred ſente a nauie of his ſhippes well [figure appears here on page 215] furniſhed with menne of warre into Eaſtangle, the whyche at the mouthe of the Riuer called Sture, encountring with .xvj. ſhippes of Da|nes, ſet vpon them, and ouercame them in fight: But as they retourned with theyr pryſes, they encountred with an other myghtie armye of the enimies, and fighting wyth them, were ouer|come and vanquiſhed.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the yeare folowing, king Alvred beſieged the Citie of London,886. London reco|uered out of the handes of the Danes. the Danes that wer with|in it, fledde from thence, and the Engliſhemen that were inhabitantes thereof, gladly receiued him, reioycing, that there was ſuche a Prince bredde of their nation that was of power able to reduce them into libertie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Citie being at that ſeaſon the chiefe of all Mercia, VV. Malmſ. Ethelfleda. he deliuered [...] he keeping of duke Eldred, whiche had maried his daughter Ethel|fleda, and held a great portion of Mercia,Colvvolphus. which Colwolphus before tyme poſſeſſed by graunt of the Danes, after they had ſubdued kyng Bur|thred, as before is mencioned.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 About the .xxj. yeare of king Alvred, a greate armie of thoſe Danes, or Normanes, whyche hadde ben in France, [...] into England,Lymen, novve. Rother. and arriued in the hauen or [...] or Lymene in the eaſt part of Kente, neere to the greate woodde called Andredeſley,Andredeſleg [...]. whyche dydde contyene in EEBO page image 216 tymes paſt .Cxx. myles in length, and thirtie in breadth. Theſe Danes landing with their people buylded a Caſtell at Appledore.A caſtel buylte at Apledore. 893. S. Dunel. at Milton.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Alſo in the meane tyme came Haſtyng wyth lxxx. ſhips into the Thames, and buylded a Ca|ſtell at Middleton, but hee was conſtrained by ſiege,

Haſtings the ca+pitain of the Danes beſie|ged.

He receyueth an othe.

whiche king Alured planted about him to receiue an othe that he ſhould not in any wyfe a|noy the dominion of king Alured, who vpon his promyſe to departe, gaue great rewards as well to him as to his wyfe and children. One of his ſonnes alſo king Allured helde at the Fontſtone, and to the other, Duke Eldred was godfather. (For as it were to winne credite, and to auoyde preſent daunger,) Haſting ſent vnto king Allu|red theſe hys two ſonnes, ſygnifying that if it ſtoode with his pleaſure, he coulde be content that they ſhoulde be baptiſed. But neuertheleſſe this Haſting was euer moſte vntrue of worde and deede,Beanfleet hath Math. VVeſt. he buylded a caſtell at Beamfield. And as he was going foorth to ſpoyle and waſt the kings countreys, Allured tooke that Caſtell wyth hys wyfe,

This enterpriſe vvas atchieued by Edeldred duke of Mercia [...]n abſence of the king as M. VVeſt. hathe noted.

Exceſter beſie|ged.

children, ſhippes, and goodes, which he had got togither of ſuche ſpoyles as he had purchaſed abroade: but he reſtored vnto Haſting his wyfe and children, bicauſe hee was their godfather.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Shortly after, newes came, that a great num|ber of other ſhippes of Danes were come out of Northumberlande, and had beſieged Exceſter: Whyleſt king Allured went then againſt them, the other armie whiche laye at Apledore inuaded Eſſex, and buylt a caſtell in that countrey, and after went into the borders of Wales, and buil|ded an other caſtell neere to the riuer of Seuerne:Seuerne. but being driuen oute of that countrey, they re|turned agayne into Eſſex.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thoſe that had beſieged Exceſter, vpõ know|ledge had of king Allureds comming, fledde to their ſhippes, and ſo remayning on the ſea, roa|ued abroade, ſeeking prayes. Beſides thys, other Armies there were ſent foorth, whiche comming out of Northumberlande, tooke the citie of Che|ſter,Cheſter taken by Danes. but there they were ſo beſette aboute with their enimies, that they were conſtrayned to eate their horſes.Great famine.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 At length in the .xxiiij. yeare of king Allured they lefte that citie, and fetched a compaſſe about Northwales, and ſo meaning to ſayle rounde aboute the coaſt to come into Northumberland, they ariued in Eſſex,H. Hunt. and in the winter folowing drew their ſhippes by the Thames into the wa|ter of Luye.The vvater of Luye, novve Lee. That armie of Danes whiche had beſieged Exceſter, tooke prayes aboute Chiche|ſter, and was mette with, ſo that they loſt many of their men, and alſo diuers of their ſhips.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the yeare folowing, the other armie which had broughte the ſhippes into the riuer of Luye, began to buylde a caſtell neere to the ſame riuer, twentie myles diſtaunt from London [...],H. Hunt. but the Londoners came thither, and giuing battayl to the Danes, ſlewe .iiij. of the chiefe Capitan [...],The Londo|ners [...] againſt the Danes. But by Simon Dunel and Mathew We [...], it ſhoulde ſeeme, that the Londoners were at thys time put to flighte, and that foure of the kinges Thanes or barons were ſlaine. Howbeit Henry of Huntington hath written as before I haue re|cited: And further ſayth, that when the Danes fled for their refuge to the Caſtell, king Alured cauſed the water of Luy to be deuided into three. Chanels, [...] ſo that the Danes ſhoulde not bryng backe their ſhippes oute of the place where they lay at ancker. When the Danes perceyued this, they lefte their ſhippes behynde them,Qua [...]bridge. or VV [...]|bridge. and wente into the borders of Wales, where at Cartbridge vpon Seuerne, they buylte an other caſſell, and lay there all the wynter following, hauing lefte their wiues and childrẽ in the countrey of Eaſt|angles. King Allured purſued them, but the Lõ|doners tooke the enimies ſhips, and brought ſome of them to the Citie, and the reſt they brent.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus for the ſpace of three yeeres after the ar|riuing of the mayne armie of Danes in the ha|uen of Luye, they ſore endomaged the Engliſhe people, although the Danes themſelues ſuſtey|ned more loſſe at the Engliſhmens handes than they did to them with all pilfering and ſpoyling.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the fourth yeare after their comming,The Danishe armie diuided into partes. the armie was deuided, ſo that parte of them wente into Northumberlande, part of them remayned in the countrey of the Eaſtangles, and an other parte went into Fraunce.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Alſo certain of their ſhips came vpon the coaſt of the Weſtſaxons, oftentymes ſettyng theyr men on lande to robbe and ſpoyle the countrey.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But king Allured tooke order in the beſt wiſe he might for defence of his countrey and people, and cauſed certaine mightie veſſels to be buylded which he appointed foorth to encounter with the enimies ſhippes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 And thus lyke a worthie Prince and politike gouernour, he preuented eche way foorth to reſiſt his enimies, and to ſauegarde his ſubiects.The death of king A [...]red. Final|ly after he had reigned .29. yeeres, and an halfe, he departed this lyfe the .28 day of October. His bo|die was buried at Wincheſter: He left behynde him iſſue by his wife Ethelwitha, the daughter of Earle Ethelred of Mercia,His iſſue. two ſonnes Ed|warde, ſurnamed the elder, which ſucceeded him, and Adelwolde. Alſo three daughters, Elfleda or Ethelfleda,Elfleda Ethelgeda or Elgiua and Ethel|witha. Elflede was maried (as ye haue hearde) vnto Duke Edelred, who left a notable example behinde hir of deſpiſing fleſhely pleaſure, for bea|ring hir huſbande one chylde, and fore handeled before ſhe coulde be delyuered, ſhe euer after for|bare to companie with hir huſbande, ſaying that EEBO page image 217 it was [...] ſuch pleſure which therwith would bring ſo great [...].The notable ſaying of El|fleda.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 To ſpeake ſufficiently of the worthie prayſe due to ſo noble [...] prince as Alured was, might re|quire eloquence, learning and a large voliant. He was of [...] and beautifull, & [...] beloued of his father and mother than his other brethren. And although he was as before is [...]u|ched,VV. Malmſ. greatly [...] with the inuaſion of fo|reyn enimies yet did he both [...] from time to tyme indeuour himſelfe [...] repulſe them, and alſo attẽpted to ſee his ſubiectes gouerned in good and vpright iuſtice.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Alured his [...]avves.And [...] that good lawes amongeſt the clin|king [...] of armour, are oftentymes put to ſi|lence, yet he perceiuing how his people were gre|ued with theeues and robbers whiche in tyme of warre grew and increaſed, deuiſed good ſtatutes and holſome ordinantes for punyſhing of [...] offenders.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Amongeſt other thinges he ordeyned, that the countreys ſhould be deuided into hundreds and tythings, that is to wit, quarters conteyning a certayne number of towneſhips, adioyning to|gither, ſo that euery Engliſheman liuing vnder preſcripte of lawes, ſhould haue both his hundred and tithing, that if any man were accuſed of a|ny offence, he ſhoulde fynde ſuretie for his good demeanour: and if he coulde not fynde ſuche as woulde anſwere for him, then ſhoulde hee taſte extremitie of the lawes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 And if any manne that was guiltie fled before hee founde suretie or after: all the inhabitants of the hundred or tithing where he dwelte should be put to their fyne. By this deuise hee brought his countrey into good tranquilitie, so that he caused bracelets of golde to he hanged up alofte on hilles, where any common ways laye to see if any durst to be so hardy to take them away by stealth. He was a liberall Prince namely in relieuing of the poore. To churches he confirmed suche priuiledges as his father had graunted before him, and he also sent rewardes by waye of deuotion vnto Rome, and to the bodie of Saint Thomas in India. Sighelmus the bishop of Shirborne bare the same, & brought from thence riche stones, and swete oyles of inestimable value. From Rome also he broughte a piece of the holy crosse, whiche Pope Maximus did send for a present vnto king Alured.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer king Allured founded three goodlie Monasteries, one at Edlingsey, Foundation [...] of monaſteries. where he liued sometyme when the Danes had bereaued hym almost of all his kyngdome, whiche was after called Athelney, distant from Taunton in Somersethire about fiue myles: the second he builded at Winchester, called the newe minster, and the thirde at Shaftsbury, whiche was an house of Nunnes, where he made his daughter Ethelgera, or Elgiua Abbesse. But the foundation of the vniuersitie of Oxford passed all the residue of his buyldings, whiche he began by the good exhortation and aduise of Neotus an Abbotte in those days highly estemed for his vertue and lerning with Alured.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This woorke he tooke in hande aboute the .23. yeare of his reigne,895. whiche was in the yeare of of out Lorde .895. So that the Vniuerſitie [...] [figure appears here on page 217] Cambridge was founded before thys other at Oxforde about .265. yeeres, Polydore. The vniuerſi|tie of Oxforde erected. as Polydore gathe|reth. For Sigebert king of the Eaſt angles be|gan to erecte that Vniuerſitie at Cambridge, [...]|bout the yeare of our Lorde .630.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Alured was learned himſelfe and giuen muche to ſtudie, in ſo muche that beſide dyuers good lawes whiche he tranſlated into the engliſh [...]oung gathered togither and publiſhed, he alſo tranſlated diuers other bookes out of Latin into EEBO page image 218 engliſh, as Oroſius, Paſtorale Gregorij, Beda de ge|ſtis Anglorũ, Boetius de conſolatione Philoſophiae, and the booke of Pſalms, but this he finiſhed not, being preuented by death.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 So this worthie Prince minding wel toward the common wealth of his people, in that ſeaſon when learning was little eſteemed amongeſt the Weaſt nations, dyd ſtudie by all meanes poſſi|ble,The vertuous [...]ele of Alured to bring his people to an honeſt trade of lyfe. to inſtructe his ſubiectes in the trade of lea|dyng an honeſt lyfe, and to encourage them ge|nerally to imbrace learnyng. He woulde not ſuf|fer any to be are office in the Courte, excepte hee were learned: and yet hee hymſelfe was twelue yeares of age before hee coulde reade a worde on the booke,He is perſvva|ded by his mo|ther, to applye himſelf to ler|ning. and was then trayned by his mothers perſwaſion to applye hymſelfe to ſtudy, promi|ſing to gyue hym a goodly fayre booke whyche ſhe had in hir handes, if he wold ſhortly lerne to reade it. Herevpon going to his booke in ſporte, he ſo earneſtly ſette his mynd thereto, that with|in a ſmall tyme hee profited maruellouſly, and became ſuche a fauourer of learned men, that he delyghted moſt in their companie, to haue conf [...]|rence wyth them, and allured dyuers to come vnto hym out of other countreyes,Aſſerius Me|neuenſ. VVerefridus. as Aſſerius Meneuenſ. biſhop of Shirborne, and Werefri|dus the byſhop of Worceſter, who by his com|maundemente tranſlated the Bookes of Grego|ries Dialogues into Engliſhe.Iohn Scot. Alſo Iohn Scot whyche whyles hee was in Fraunce, tranſlated the booke of Dionyſius Artopagita, entituled Hie|rarchi [...], out of Greeke into Latin, and after was Scholemaiſter in the Abbey of Malmeſburye, and there murthered by his Schollers with pen|kniues, hee had dyuers other aboute him, bothe Engliſhmenne and ſtraungers, as Pleymonde whyche afterwarde was made Archebiſhoppe of Canterbury,Grimbalde. Grimbalde, whome he appointed gouernour of the newe Monaſterie at Winche|ſter, with other.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But to conclude with this noble Prince king Alvred,Alured deui|ded the tyme for his neceſ|ſarie vſes. hee was ſo carefull in his office, that hee deuided the .xxiiij. houres which contayn the day and night in three partes, ſo that eight houres he ſpent in writing, reding and making his praiers, other eight hee employed in relieuing his bodye with meate, drinke, and ſlepe, and the other .viij. he beſtowed in diſpatching of buſineſſe cõcerning the gouernment of the realme. He had in his cha|pell a candell of .24. partes, whereof euery one la|ſted an houre: So that the Sexton to whome that charge was committed, by burning of that candell warned the king euer how the time paſ|ſed away. A little before his death, hee ordeined his laſt wil and teſtament,His laſt vvyll and teſtament. bequeathing halfe the portion of all his goodes iuſtly gotten, vnto ſuch Monaſteries as he had founded. All his rents and reuenues he deuided into two equall partes, and the firſt part he deuided into three, beſtowing the firſt vpon his ſeruants of houſholde, the ſeconde to ſuche laborers, and workmen as he kept in his workes of ſundrie newe buyldings, the thyrde part he gaue to ſtrangers. The ſecond whole part of his reuenues was ſo diuided, that the firſt por|tion thereof was beſtowed amongeſt the poore people of his countrey, the ſeconde to Monaſte|ries, the thirde to the findyng of poore ſchollers, and the .iiij. part to Churches beyonde the ſea: he was diligent in the enquirie how the Iudges of his land behaued themſelues in their iudgemẽts, and was a ſharpe correcter of them which tranſ|greſſed in that behalfe. To be brief, he liued ſo as he was had in greate fauoure of his neighbors, highly honored amongſt ſtrangers. He maryed his daughter Ethelſwida or rather Elſtride vn|to Baldwyn Erle of Flaunders, [...]ſt [...]ld, [...] you find in Iacob Meyer, if ye looke for [...]. of whome hee bega [...] two ſons Arnulfe and Adulfe, of the which the firſt ſucceded in the Erledome of Flaunders, and the yonger was made erle of Boloigne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The bodie of king Alvred was firſte buried in the Biſhops churche: but afterwarde bicauſe the Canons rayſed a fond tale that the ſame ſhoulde walke a nightes, his ſonne king Edward remo|ued it into the newe monaſterie whiche he in his lyfe tyme had founded.