[1] [2] [3] [figure appears here on page 230] AFter the de|ceſſe of E|dredus,Edre [...] his Ne|phewe Edwin the eldeſt ſonne of Kyng Ed|mõd was ma [...]e King of Eng|land, and began his raigne ouer the ſame in the yeare of our L. 955. and in the .20. yeare of the Emperour Otho the firſte,955 in the .28. and laſt yeare of the raigne of Lewis King of France, and about the twelfth yere of Malcolme the firſt of that name King of Scotland. He was ſacred at Kingſton vppon Thames by Odo the Archbiſhop of Canterbury. The ſame day of his Coronation, as the Lordes were ſet in counſell about weighty matters tou|ching the gouernemente of the Realme, hee roſe from the place,VVil. Malm. Polidor. gate him into a chamber with one of his neere kinſwomen, and there had to do with hir without reſpect or any regard had to his roy|all eſtate and princely dignitie. Dunſtane lately beforenamed Abbot of Glaſtenbury, did not onely without feare of diſpleaſure reprooue the king for ſuch ſhamefull abuſing of his body, but alſo cau|ſed the Archbiſhop of Canterbury to conſtreyne him to forgoe ye company of that woman whom vnlawfully hee kept as his wife.Iohn Cap. There be that write, that there were two women both mother and daughter, whome K. Edwin kept as concu|bines: for the mother beeing of noble parentage, ſought to ſatiſfie the Kings luſt, in hope that ey|ther hee woulde take hir, or hir daughter to wife. And therefore perceyuing that Duſtane was ſore againſt ſuche wanton paſtime as the King vſed in their company, ſo wrought,Dunſtane ba|niſhed the Realme. that Dũſtan was through hir earneſt trauel baniſhed the land. And this is alſo reported, that when he ſhould departe the Realme, the Deuill was hearde in the Weſt end of the Church, taking vp a great laughter af|ter his roring manner, as though he ſhould ſhew himſelfe glad and ioyfull of Dunſtanes goyng into exile.Dunſtane ſeeth not the Deuill. But Dunſtane perceyuing his behaui|our, ſpake to him, and ſayd: well thou aduerſarie, do not ſo greatly reioyce at the matter, for thou doeſt not now ſo much reioyce at my departure, but by Gods grace thou ſhalt be as ſorowfull for my returne.Dunſtane de|parted into exile. Thus was Dunſtane baniſhed by K. Edwine, ſo that he was compelled to paſſe o|uer into Flaunders, where hee remayned for a tyme within a Monaſterie at Gaunt, finding muche friendſhippe at the handes of the gouer|noure of that countrey. Alſo the more to [page 231] wreake his wrath, VV. Mal. Edwine diſ|placeth Mõkes and putteth ſecular Prieſts in their romes the King ſpoyled many Reli|gious houſes of their goodes, and droue out the Monkes, placing ſecular Prieſts in their roomes, as namely at Malmeſbury, where yet the houſe was not empayred, but rather enriched in landes and ornamentes by the kings liberalitie and the induſtrious meanes of the ſame Prieſtes whyche toke vp the bones of Saint Alderlme, and put the ſame in a ſhrine.Rebellion raiſed againſte K. Edred. At length, the inhabitantes of ye middle parte of England, euen from Humber to Thames rebelled againſte him,Sim. Dun. and elected hys brother Edgar to haue the gouernemente ouer them, wherewith King Edwine tooke ſuch griefe for that he ſaw no meane at hand how to remedy the matter, that ſhortly after when he had raig|ned ſomewhat more than four yeres,Edred depar|teth this life. he departed this life. His body was buried at Wincheſter in the new Abbey there.