6.24. The death of Alfred king Edgars wife (or concubine) causeth him to fall into a fowle offense, an example teaching men to take heed how they put others in trust to woo for them; earle Ethelwold cooseneth the king of his wife, the danger of beholding a womans beautie with lustfull eies; king Edgar killeth earle Ethelwold to marrie faire Al|fred his wife; the bloudie and vnnaturall speach of Ethel|wolds base sonne; examples of king Edgars great incontinen|cie and lewd life; Dunstane putteth the king of penance for his vnchastitie, the Welshmen rebell against him and are cor|rected, king Edgars vision before his death, of what religious (or concubine) causeth him to fall into a buildings he was founder, his example a spur to others to doo the like, moonks esteemed and secular priests little regarded, king Edgars deformed reformation, his vices, stature, and bo|dilie qualities, he offereth to fight hand to hand with Ki|nadius king of Scots vpon occasion of words euill taken, Kinadius submitteth himselfe and is par|doned; his wiues and children, the good state of the realme in king Edgars time, the amplenesse of his dominions. The xxiiij. Chapter.

The death of Alfred king Edgars wife (or concubine) causeth him to fall into a fowle offense, an example teaching men to take heed how they put others in trust to woo for them; earle Ethelwold cooseneth the king of his wife, the danger of beholding a womans beautie with lustfull eies; king Edgar killeth earle Ethelwold to marrie faire Al|fred his wife; the bloudie and vnnaturall speach of Ethel|wolds base sonne; examples of king Edgars great incontinen|cie and lewd life; Dunstane putteth the king of penance for his vnchastitie, the Welshmen rebell against him and are cor|rected, king Edgars vision before his death, of what religious (or concubine) causeth him to fall into a buildings he was founder, his example a spur to others to doo the like, moonks esteemed and secular priests little regarded, king Edgars deformed reformation, his vices, stature, and bo|dilie qualities, he offereth to fight hand to hand with Ki|nadius king of Scots vpon occasion of words euill taken, Kinadius submitteth himselfe and is par|doned; his wiues and children, the good state of the realme in king Edgars time, the amplenesse of his dominions. The xxiiij. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _IN this meane time, Osborne and Capgraue hold that she was not his wife but a nun. Wil. Malm. Al|fred the wife of king Edgar (as some say) or rather (as o|thers write) his concubine died, of whome he had begot a sonne named Edward. The death of this woman caused the king to commit an hei|nous offense. [...]orger. For albeit at the same time the same went, that Horgerius duke of Cornewall, or rather Deuonshire, had a daughter named Alfred, a damo|sell of excellent beautie, whome Edgar minding to haue in mariage, appointed one of his noble men called earle Ethelwold, to go with all speed into Cornewall or Deuonshire, to sée if the yoong ladies beautie answered the report that went of hir, and so to breake the matter to hir father in his behalfe: yet Ethelwold being a yong ioslie gentleman, tooke his iournie into Cornewall, and comming to the duke,offense. [...]orger. For albeit at the same time the same was well receiued, and had a sight of his daughter, with whose beautie he was streight rauished so far in loue,Earle Ethel|wold dece|ueth the king of his wi [...]e. that not regarding the kings pleasure, who had sent him thither, he began to purchase the good will of both father and daughter for himselfe, and did so much that he obteined the same in déed. Herevpon returning to the king, he informed him that the da|mosell was not of such beautie and comelie perso|nage, as might he thought woorthie to match in ma|rige with his maiestie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Shortlie after perceiuing the kings mind by his wrongfull misreport to be turned, and nothing bent that way, he began to sue to him that he might with his fauour marie the same damosell: which the king granted, as one that cared not for hir, bicause of the credit which he gaue to Ethelwolds words. And so by this meanes Ethelwold obteined Alfred in ma|riage, which was to his owne destruction, as the case fell out. For when the same of hir passing beautie did spread ouer all the realme, now that she was mariedwith his maiestie. and came more abroad in sight of the people, the king chanced to heare thereof, and desirous to sée hir, deui|sed vnder colour of hunting to come vnto the house of Ethelwold, and so did: where he had no sooner set his eie vpon hir, but he was so farre wrapped in the chaine of burning concupiscence, that to obteine his purpose,King Edgar séeketh the destruction of earle Ethel|wold. he shortlie after contriued Ethelwolds death, and maried his wife.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Some say, that the woman kindled the brand of purpose: for when it was knowne, that the king would sée hir, Ethelwold willed hir in no wise to trim vp hir selfe, but rather to disfigure hir in fowle garments, and some euill fauored attire, that hir na|tiue beautie should not appeare: but she perceiuing how the matter went, of spite set out hir selfe to the vttermost, so that the king vpon the first sight of hix, beacame so farre inamored of hir beautie, that taking hir husband foorth with him on hunting into a forrest or wood then called Warlewood,King Edgar a murtherer. & after Horewood, not shewing that he meant him anie hurt, till at length he had got him within the thicke of the wood, where he suddenlie stroke him through with his dart. Now as his bastard son came to the place, the king asked him how he liked the maner of hunting, wher|to he answered;

Uerie well if it like your grace, for that that liketh you, ought not to displease me.

With which answer the king was so pacified, that he inde|uored by pretending his fauor towards the sonne, to extenuat the tyrannicall murther of the father. Then did the king marie the countesse Alfred, and of hir begat two sonnes, Edmund which died yoong, and E|theldred or Egelred.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Besides this cruell act wrought by king Edgar, for the satisfieng of his fleshlie lust, he also plaied another part greatlie to the staine of his honor, moo|ued also by wanton loue, with yoong damosell na|med Wilfrid, for after that she had (to auoid the dan|ger of him) either professed hir selfe a nun, or else for colour (as the most part of writers agrée) got hirselfe into a nunrie, and clad hir in a nuns wéed, he tooke hir foorth of hir cloister, and lay by hir sundrie times, and begat on hir a daughter named Edith, who com|ming to conuenient age,His licenti|ous life & in|continencie. was made a nun. A third example of his incontinencie is written by authors, and that is this. It chanced on a time that he lodged one night at Andeuer, and hauing a mind to a lords daughter there, he commanded that she should bee brought to his bed. But the mother of the gentlewo|man would not that hir daughter should be deflou|red: and therefore in the darke of the night broughtinto a nunrie, and clad hir in a nuns weed, he tooke one of hir maidseruants, and laid hir in the kings bed, she being both faire, proper, and pleasant.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the morning when the day began to appeare, she made hast to arise: and being asked of the king why she so hasted; That I may go to my daies worke if it please your grace (quoth she.) Herewith she be|ing EEBO page image 161 staied by the king, as it were against hir will, she fell downe on hir knées, & required of him that she might be made frée, in guerdon of hir nights worke. For (saith she) it is not for your honor, that the woman which hath tasted the pleasure of the kings bodie should anie more suffer seruitude vnder the rule and appointment of a sharpe & rough mistresse.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The king then being mooued in his spirits, laughed at the matter, though not from the heart, as he that tooke great indignation at the dooings of the dut|chesse, and pitied the case of the poore wench. But yet in fine (turning earnest to a iest) he pardoned all the parties, and aduanced the wench to high honor, farreshe might be made frée, in guerdon of hir nights aboue those that had rule of hir afore, so that she ru|led them (willed they nilled they:) for he vsed hir as his paramour, till he maried the foresaid Alfred.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 For these youthfull parts, & namelie for the raui|shing of Wilfride (which though she were no nun, yet the offense seemed verie heinous, for that he should not once touch anie woman shadowed vnder that habit) he greatlie displeased Dunstane,Note the déep hypocrisie of Dunstane. so that by him he was put to his seuen yéeres penance, and kept from the crowne till the 12 yeere of his reigne or more.Ran. Higd. Fabian out of Guido de Co|lum [...]. For some write that he was not crowned nor annointed king,Wil. Malm. till the 30 yeere of his age, which should be about the 13 or 14 yeere of his reigne by that account, sith he entred into the rule of the king|dome about the 16 yéere of his age. In déed one au|thor witnesseth, that he was consecrated at Bath on a Whitsunday, the 13 yéere of his reigne, and that by Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie, and Oswold archbishop of Yorke.Hen. Hunt. Ranul. Hig. But some which suppose that he was consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death of Edridus, affirme that he was crowned and an|nointed king by the archbishop Odo,Polydor. Dunstane as then remaining in exile, from whence he was imme|diatlie reuoked by Edgar, and first made bishop of Worcester (as hath beene said) and after the decease of Odo was aduanced to be archbishop of Cantur|burie.Matt. West. But by some writers it appeareth,Simon Dun. that Dun|stane was reuoked out of exile immediatlie vpon partition of the realme betwixt Edwin and Edgar, which chanced in the yéere 957, by the rebellion of thewas consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death people of Mercia, & others (as before ye haue heard:) and that in the yéere following the archbishop Odo died, after whome succéeded Alfin bishop of Winche|ster, who also died the same yeere that king Edward deceased, as he went to fetch his pall from Rome, and then Brighthelme bishop of Dorchester was e|lected archbishop. But bicause he was not able to dis|charge so great an office, by K. Edgars comman|dement he was forced to giue place to Dunstane.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies, Fabian. Ran. Higd. The Welsh|men rebel and are chastised. the Welshmen mooued some rebellion against him. Wherevpon he assembled an armie, and entering the countrie of Glamorgan, did much hurt in the same, chastising the inhabitants verie sharpelie for their rebellious attempts. Amongst other spoiles ta|ken in those parties at that time by the men of war, the bell of saint Ellutus was taken away, and han|ged about a horsses necke, and (as hath béene repor|ted) in the after noone, it chanced that king Edgar laid him downe to rest, wherevpon in sleepe there ap|peared Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies, Fabian. Ran. Higd. The welsh|men rebel and are chastised. the one vnto him, and smote him on the breast with a speare. By reason of which vision he caused all things that had béene taken away to be restored againe. But within nine daies after the king died. Whether anie such thing chanced, or that he had anie such vision it forceth not. Will. Malmet. Hen. Hunt. King Edgar departeth this life. But truth it is, that in the 37 yéere of his age, after he had reigned 16 yéeres and two moneths he departed this life, the 8 day of Iulie, and was buried at Glastenburie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for such princelie qualities as appeared in him, but chief|lie for that he was so beneficiall to the church, name|lie to moonks, the aduancement of whome he great|lie sought,Wherfore Ed|gar is praised of some writers. both in building abbeies new from the ground, in reparing those that were decaied: also by inriching them with great reuenues, and in conuer|ting collegiat churches into monasteries, remoo|uing secular priests, and bringing in moonks in their places. There passed no one yéere of his reigne, wher|in he founded not one abbeie or other. The abbeie of This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for Glastenburie which his father had begun he finished. The abbeie of Abington also he accomplished and set in good order. The abbeies of Peterborough & Thor|nie he established. The nunrie of Wilton he founded and richlie endowed, where his daughter Edith [...] was professed, and at length became abbesse there. To be briefe,Fabian Ran. he builded (as the chronicles record) to the number of 40 abbeies and monasteries,Higd. Hen. in some of which he placed moonks,Hunt. and in some nuns. By his example in those daies, other nobles, as also pre|lates, This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for & some of the laitie, did begin the foundation of sundrie abbeies and monasteries: as Adelwold bi|shop of Winchester builded the abbeie of Elie, and (as some say) Peterborough &Wil. Malm. Thornie, though they were established by the king (as before is mentio|ned.) Also earle Ailewin, at the exhortation of the same bishop Adelwold,Hen. Huna. builded the abbeie of Ram|sey, though some attribute the dooing thereof vnto Oswold the archbishop of Yorke, and some to king Edward the elder.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 To conclude, Matt. West. Moonks estée|med & secular priests little regarded. the religious orders of moonks and nuns in these daies florished, and the state of secu|lar priests was smallie regarded, insomuch that they were constreined to auoid out of diuerse colleges, and to leaue the same vnto moonks, as at Worcester and Winchester, where in the new monasterie, bi|cause the kings liued not in such sort as was then thought requisite,Ran. Higd. lib. 6. cap. 9. the prebends were taken from them and giuen to vicars. But when the vicars were thought to vse themselues no better, but ratherEdward the elder. worse than the other before them, they were likewise put out, and moonks placed in their roomes by autho|ritie of pope Iohn the 13. This reformation, or ra|ther deformation was vsed by king Edgar in many other places of the realme.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 He was (as appeareth by diuers writers) name|lie in his beginning, cruell against his owne people, and wanton in lusting after yoong women (as you haue heard before.)Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Tho. Eliot. Of stature & proportion of bodie he was but small and low, but yet nature had inclo|sed within so little a personage such strength, that he durst incounter and combat with him that was thought most strong,Edgar small of stature but strong and hardie. onelie doubting this, least he which should haue to doo with him should stand in feare of him. And as it chanced at a great feast (where oftentimes men vse their toongs more liber|rallie than néedeth) Kenneth the king of ScotsKenneth king of Scots. cast out certeine words in this maner:

It may (saith hée) séeme a maruell that so manie countries and prouinces should be subiect to such a little silliehe was but small and low, but yet nature had inclo|sed bodie as Edgar is.

These words being borne awaie by a [...]ester or minstrell, and afterwards vttered to Edgar with great reproch, he wiselie dissembled the matter for a time, although he kept the remem|brance thereof inclosed within his breast: and vpon occasion, at length feigned to go on hunting, taking the king of Scots forth with him: and hauing cau|sed one of his seruants to conuey two swords into a place within the forrest by him appointed in secret wise, of purpose he withdrew from the residue of his companie, and there accompanied onelie with the Scotish king, came to the place where the swords were laid; and there taking the one of them, deli|uered the other to the Scotish king,The noble courage of king Edgar. willing him now to assaie his strength, that they might shew by EEBO page image 162 proofe whether of them ought to be subiect to the o|ther;

Start not, but trie it with me (saith he:) for it is a shame for a king to be full of brags at bankets, and not to be readie to fight when triall should be made abroad.

The Scotish king herewith being a|stonied and maruellouslie abashed, fell downe at his féet, and with much humilitie confessed his fault, & desired pardon for the same, which vpon such his humble submission king Edward easilie granted.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This noble prince had two wiues, Egelfrida or Elfrida, surnamed the white, the daughter of a migh|tie duke named Ordiner, by whome he had issue a sonne named Edward that succéeded him. His se|cond wife was called Alfreda the daughter of Or|gar duke of Deuon or Cornewall (as some saie) by whome he had issue Edmund that died before his father, and Egelred which afterwards was king. Also he had issue a base daughter named Editha, begotten of his concubine Wilfrid (as before ye haue heard.)Wil. Malm. The state of the realme in king Ed|gars daies was in good point, for both the earth gaue hir increase verie plentiouslie, the elements shew|ed themselues verie sauorable, according to the course of times: peace was mainteined, and no in|uasion by forraine enimies attempted. For Edgar had not onelie all the whole Ile of Britaine in sub|iection, but also was ruler & souereigne lord ouer all the kings of the out Iles that lie within the seas about all the coasts of the same Britaine euen vnto the realme of Norwaie. He brought also a great part of Ireland vnder his subiection,Ireland sub|iect to king Edgar. with the citie of Dublin, as by authentike records it dooth and may appeare.