Hitherto of the common waies of England and Scotland, wherevnto I will adioine the old thorowfaires ascribed to Antoninus, to the end that by their conference the diligent reader may haue further consideration of the same than my leisure will permit me. In setting foorth also thereof, I haue noted such diuersitie of reading, as hath happened in the sight of such written and printed copies, as I haue séene in my time. Notwithstanding I must confesse the same to be much corrupted in the rehearsall of the miles.
FINIS.
HISTORIE OF ENGLAND,
FROM
THE TIME THAT IT WAS FIRST INHABITED,
VNTILL
THE TIME THAT IT WAS LAST CONQUERED:
WHEREIN THE SUNDRIE ALTERATIONS OF THE STATE
VNDER FORREN PEOPLE IS DECLARED;
AND OTHER MANIFOLD OBSERVATIONS REMEMBRED:
BY RAPHAEL HOLINSHED
NOW NEWLIE READ OVER, AND DILIGENTLIE DIGESTED INTO BOOKES AND CHAPTERS,
WITH THEIR SEUERALL ARGUMENTS PREFIXED, CONTEINING AN ABRIDGEMENT
OF THE WHOLE HISTORIE, FOR THE HELPE OF THE READERS
IUDGEMENT AND MEMORIE:
WITH TWO TABLES OF PARTICULARS,
THE ONE SERVING THE DESCRIPTION, THE OTHER THE HISTORIE:
BY ABRAHAM FLEMING.
LAUS HISTORIÆ EX I. LELANDO.
QUOD SOL ÆTHEREO PRÆSTAT PULCHERRIMUS ORDI,
HISTORIA HUMANIS VBIBUS HOC TRIBUIT.
TO
THE READERS STUDIOUS IN HISTORIES.
The order obserued in the description of Britaine, by reason of the necessarie diuision thereof into bookes and chapters growing out of the varietie of matters therein conteined, seemed (in my iudgement) so conuenient a course deuised by the writer, as I was easilie induced thereby to digest the historie of England immediatlie following into the like method: so that as in the one, so likewise in the other, by summarie contents foregoing euerie chapter, as also by certeine materiall titles added at the head of euerie page of the said historie, it is a thing of no difficultie to comprehend what is discoursed and discussed in the same.
Wherein (sith histories are said to be the registers of memorie and the monuments of veritie) all louers of knowlege, speciallie historicall, are aduisedlie to marke (among other points) the seuerall and successiue alterations of regiments in this land: whereof it was my Pag. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 26, 27, 28, 49, 50, 51, of the description: and pag. 765, 766, of the historie of England. meaning to haue made an abstract, but that the same is sufficientlie handled in the first booke and fourth chapter of the description of Britaine; whereto if the seuenth chapter of the same booke be also annexed, there is litle or no defect at all in that case wherof iustlie to make complaint.
Wherfore by remitting the readers to those, I reape this aduantage, namelie a discharge of a forethought & purposed labour, which as to reduce into some plausible forme was a worke both of time, paine and studie: so seeming vnlikelie to be comprised in few words (being a matter of necessarie and important obseruation) occasion of tediousnes is to and fro auoided; speciallie to the reader, who is further to be aduertised, that the computations of yeares here and there expressed, according to the indirect direction of the copies whense they were deriued and drawne, is not so absolute (in some mens opinion) as it might haue beene: howbeit iustifiable by their originals.
Wherin hereafter (God prolonging peace in the church and commonwelth that the vse of bookes may not be abridged) such diligent care shall be had, that in whatsoeuer the helpe of bookes will doo good, or conference with antiquaries auaile, there shall want no will to vse the one and the other. And yet it is not a worke for euerie common capacitie, naie it is a toile without head or taile euen for extraordinarie wits, to correct the accounts of former ages so many hundred yeares receiued, out of vncerteinties to raise certeinties, and to reconcile writers dissenting in opinion and report. But as this is vnpossible, so is no more to be looked for than may be performed: and further to inquire as it is against reason, so to vndertake more than may commendablie be atchiued, were fowle follie.
THE FIRST BOOKE
OF THE
HISTORIE OF ENGLAND.
| Page | |
| THE FIRST CHAPTER | 427 |
| THE SECOND CHAPTER | 428 |
| AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER CHAPTER | 431 |
| THE THIRD CHAPTER | 432 |
Who inhabited this Iland before the comming of Brute: of Noah & his three sonnes, among whom the whole earth was diuided: and to which of their portions this Ile of Britaine befell.
THE FIRST CHAPTER.
What manner of people did first inhabite this our country, which hath most generallie and of longest continuance béene knowne among all nations by the name of Britaine as yet is not certeinly knowne; neither can it be decided frō whence the first inhabitants there of came, by reason of such diuersitie in iudgements as haue risen amongst the The originall of nations for the most part vncerteine. learned in this behalfe. But sith the originall in maner of all nations is doubtfull, and euen the same for the more part fabulous (that alwaies excepted which we find in the holie scriptures) I wish not any man to leane to that which shall be here set downe as to an infallible truth, sith I doo but onlie shew other mens conjectures, grounded neuerthelesse vpon likelie reasons, concerning that matter whereof there is now left but little other certeintie, or rather none at all.
Whither Britaine were an Iland at the first.
Geog. com. lib.
No Ilands at the first, as some coniecture.
To fetch therefore the matter from the farthest, and so to stretch it
forward, it séemeth by the report of Dominicus Marius Niger that in the
beginning, when God framed the world, and diuided the waters apart from
the earth, this Ile was then a parcell of the continent, and ioined
without any separation of sea to the maine land. But this opinion (as
all other the like vncerteinties) I leaue to be discussed of by the
learned: howbeit for the first inhabitation of this Ile with people, I
haue thought good to set downe in part, what may be gathered out of
such writers as haue touched that matter, and may séeme to giue some
light vnto the knowledge thereof.
In the first part of the acts of the English votaries.
Britaine inhabitied before the floud.
Genesis 6.
Berosus ant. lib. 1.
First therefore Iohn Bale our countrieman, who in his time greatlie
trauelled in the search of such antiquities, dooth probablie
coniecture, that this land was inhabited and replenished with people
long before the floud, at that time in the which the generation of
mankind (as Moses writeth) began to multiplie vpon the vniuersall face
of the earth: and therfore it followeth, that as well this land was
inhabited with people long before the daies of Noah, as any the other
countries and parts of the world beside. But when they had once
forsaken the ordinances appointed them by God, and betaken them to new
waies inuented of themselues, such loosenesse of life ensued euerie
where, as brought vpon them the great deluge and vniuersall floud, in
the which perished as well the inhabitants of these quarters, as the
residue of the race of mankind, generallie dispersed in euerie other
part of the whole world, onelie Noah & his familie excepted, who by the
prouidence and pleasure of almightie God was preserued from the rage of
those waters, to recontinue and repaire the new generation of man of
vpon earth.
NOAH. In comment. super 4. lib.
Berosus de antiquit. lib. 1
Annius vt suor.
After the flood (as Annius de Viterbo recordeth) and reason also
enforceth, Noah was the onlie monarch of all the world, and as the same
Annius gathereth by the account of Moses in the 100. yeare after the
flood, Noah diuided the earth among his thrée sonnes; assigning to the
possession of his eldest sonne all that portion of land which now is
knowne by the name of Asia; to his second sonne Cham, he appointed all
that part of the world which now is called Affrica: and to his third
sonne Iaphet was allotted all Europa, with all the Iles therto
belonging, wherin among other was conteined this our Ile of Britaine,
with the other Iles thereto perteining.
IAPHET AND HIS SONNES.
Johannes Bodinus ad fac. hist. cogn.
Franciscus Tarapha.
Iaphet the third son of Noah, of some called Iapetus, and of others,
Atlas Maurus (because he departed this life in Mauritania) was the
first (as Bodinus affirmeth by the authoritie and consent of the
Hebrue, Gréeke & Latine writers) that peopled the countries of Europe,
which afterward he diuided among his sonnes: of whom Tuball (as Tarapha
affirmeth) obteined the kingdome of Spaine. Gomer had dominion ouer the
Italians, and (as Berosus and diuers other authors agrée) Samothes was
the founder of Celtica, which conteined in it (as Bale witnesseth) a
great part of Europe, but speciallie those countries which now are
called by the names of Gallia and Britannia.
Britaine inhabited shortlie after the floud.
Thus was this Iland inhabited and peopled within 200 yéeres after the
floud by the children of Iaphet the sonne of Noah: & this is not onlie
prooued by Annius, writing vpon Berosus, but also confirmed by Moses in
the scripture, where he writeth, that of the offspring of Iaphet, the
Iles of the Gentiles (wherof Britain is one) were sorted into regions
in the time of Phaleg the sonne of Hiber, who was borne at the time of
Theophilus episcop. Antioch. ad Anfol lib. 2.
The words of Theophilus a doctor of the church, who liued
an. Dom. 160.
the diuision of languages. Herevpon Theophilus hath these words: "Cúm
priscis temporibus pauci forent homines in Arabia & Chaldaea, post
linguarum diuisionem aucti & multiplicati paulatim sunt: hinc quidam
abierunt versus orientem, quidam concessere ad partes maioris
continentis, alij porrò profecti sunt ad septentrionem sedes
quaesituri, nec priùs desierunt terram vbiq; occupare, quàm etiam
Britannos in Arctois climatibus accesserint, &c." That is; "When at
the first there were not manie men in Arabia and Chaldaea, it came to
passe, that after the diuision of toongs, they began somewhat better to
increase and multiplie, by which occasion some of them went toward the
east, and some toward the parts of the great maine land: diuers of them
went also northwards to seeke them dwelling places, neither staid they
to replenish the earth as they went, till they came vnto the Iles of
Britaine, lieng vnder the north pole." Thus far Theophilus.
These things considered, Gildas the Britaine had great reason to thinke, that this countrie had bene inhabited from the beginning. And Polydor Virgil was with no lesse consideration hereby induced to confesse, that the Ile of Britaine had receiued inhabitants foorthwith after the floud.
Of Samothes, Magus, Sarron, Druis, and Bardus, fiue kings succeeding each other in regiment ouer the Celts and Samotheans, and how manie hundred yeeres the Celts inhabited this Iland.
THE SECOND CHAPTER.
Gen. 2.
De migr. gen.
Samothes the sixt begotten sonne of Iaphet called by Moses Mesech, by
others Dis, receiued for his portion (according to the report of
Wolfgangus Lazius) all the countrie lieng betwéene the riuer of Rhene
and the Pyrenian mountains, where he founded the kingdome of Celtica
Cent. 1.
ouer his people called Celtae. Which name Bale affirmeth to haue bene
indifferent to the inhabitants both of the countrie of Gallia, and the
Ile of Britaine, & that he planted colonies of men (brought foorth of
the east parts) in either of them, first in the maine land, and after
Anti. lib. 1.
Bale Script.
Brit. cent. 1.
in the Iland. He is reported by Berosus to haue excelled all men of
that age in learning and knowledge: and also is thought by Bale to haue
imparted the same among his people; namelie, the vnderstanding
Caesar. comment. lib. 8.
of the sundrie courses of the starres, the order of inferiour things,
with manie other matters incident to the morall and politike gouernment
of mans life: and to haue deliuered the same in the Phenician letters:
out of which the Greekes (according to the opinion of Archilochus)
In epithet. temp.
De aequinorus contra Appionem.
deuised & deriued the Gréeke characters, insomuch that Xenophon and
Iosephus doo constantlie report (although Diogenes Laertius be against
it) that both the Gréekes and other nations receiued their letters and
learning first from these countries. Of this king and his learning
Lib. de Magic. success. lib. 22.
arose a sect of philosophers (saith Annius) first in Britaine, and
after in Gallia, the which of his name were called Samothei. They (as
Aristotle and Secion write) were passing skilfull both in the law of
God and man: and for that cause exceedinglie giuen to religion,
Script. Brit. cent. 1.
especiallie the inhabitants of this Ile of Britaine, insomuch that the
whole nation did not onelie take the name of them, but the Iland it
De ant. Cant. cent. lib. 1.
This Ile called Samothea.
selfe (as Bale and doctor Caius agree) came to be called Samothea,
which was the first peculiar name that euer it had, and by the which it
was especiallie knowne before the arriuall of Albion.
MAGUS THE SON OF SAMOTHES.
Lib. 9.
Annius in commen. super eundem. Geogr.
Magus the sonne of Samothes, after the death of his father, was the
second king of Celtica, by whome (as Berosus writeth) there were manie
townes builded among the Celts, which by the witnesse of Annius did
beare the addition of their founder Magus: of which townes diuers are
to be found in Ptolomie. And Antoninus a painfull surueior of the world
and searcher of cities, maketh mention of foure of them here in
Britaine, Sitomagus, Neomagus, Niomagus, and Nouiomagus. Neomagus sir
Thomas Eliot writeth to haue stood where the citie of Chester now
standeth; Niomagus, George Lillie placeth where the towne of Buckingham
is now remaining. Beside this, Bale dooth so highlie commend the
foresaid Magus for his learning renowmed ouer all the world, that he
would haue the Persians, and other nations of the south and west parts,
to deriue the name of their diuines called Magi from him. In déed
Rauisius Textor, and sir Iohn Prise affirme, that in the daies of
Plinie, the Britons were so expert in art magike, that they might be
thought to haue first deliuered the same to the Persians. What the name
De diui. lib. 1.
De fastis li. 5.
of Magus importeth, and of what profession the Magi were, Tullie
declareth at large, and Mantuan in briefe, after this maner:
Ille penes Persas Magus est, qui sidera norit,
Qui sciat herbarum vires cultumq; deorum,
Persepoli facit ista Magos prudentia triplex.
H.F.
The Persians terme him Magus, that
the course of starres dooth knowe,
The power of herbs, and worship due
to God that man dooth owe,
By threefold knowledge thus the name
of Magus then dooth growe.
SARRON THE SON OF MAGUS.
De ant. Cant. lib. 1.
Bale. script.
Brit. cent. I.
Sarron the third king of the Celts succéeded his father Magus in
gouernement of the countrie of Gallia, and the Ile Samothea, wherein as
(D. Caius writeth) he founded certaine publike places for them that
professed learning, which Berosus affirmeth to be done, to the intent
to restraine the wilfull outrage of men, being as then but raw and void
of all ciuilitie. Also it is thought by Annius, that he was the first
author of those kind of philosophers, which were called Sarronides, of
whom Diodorus Siculus writeth in this sort: "There are (saith he) among
Lib. 6.
the Celts certaine diuines and philosophers called Sarronides, whom
aboue all other they haue in great estimation. For it is the manner
among them, not without a philosopher to make anie sacrifice: sith they
are of beleefe, that sacrifices ought onelie to be made by such as are
skilfull in the diuine mysteries, as of those who are neerest vnto God,
by whose intercession they thinke all good things are to be required of
God, and whose aduise they vse and follow, as well in warre as in
peace."
DRUIS THE SON OF SARRON.
De morte Claud.
Druis, whom Seneca calleth Dryus, being the sonne of Sarron, was after
his father established the fourth king of Celtica, indifferentlie
reigning as wel ouer the Celts as Britons, or rather (as the
inhabitants of this Ile were then called) Samotheans. This prince is
commended by Berosus to be so plentifullie indued with wisedome and
learning, that Annius taketh him to be the vndoubted author of the
begining and name of the philosophers called Druides, whome Caesar and
all other ancient Greeke and Latine writers doo affirme to haue had
their begining in Britaine, and to haue bin brought from thence into
Gallia, insomuch that when there arose any doubt in that countrie
touching any point of their discipline, they did repaire to be resolued
therein into Britaine, where, speciallie in the Ile of Anglesey (as
Anti. lib. 5.
Annius super eundem.
De bello Gallico. 6.
Humfrey Llhoyd witnesseth) they made their principall abode. Touching
their vsages many things are written by Aristotle, Socion, Plinie,
Laertius, Bodinus, and others: which I will gather in briefe, and set
downe as followeth. They had (as Caesar saith) the charge of common &
priuate sacrifices, the discussing of points of religion, the bringing
vp of youth, the determining of matters in variance with full power to
interdict so manie from the sacrifice of their gods and the companie of
Hist. an. lib. 1.
men, as disobeied their award. Polydore affirmeth, how they taught,
that mens soules could not die, but departed from one bodie to another,
De diui. lib. 1.
and that to the intent to make men valiant and dreadlesse of death.
Tullie writeth, that partlie by tokens, and partlie by surmises, they
would foretell things to come. And by the report of Hector Boetius,
some of them were not ignorant of the immortalitie of the one and
Hist. Scoti. li. 2.
De migr. gen. lib. 2.
Marcellinus.
euerlasting God. All these things they had written in the Greeke toong,
insomuch that Wolf. Lazius (vpon the report of Marcellinus) declareth
how the Gréeke letters were first brought to Athens by Timagenes from
the Druides. And herevpon it commeth also to passe, that the British
toong hath in it remaining at this day some smacke of the Gréeke. Among
other abuses of the Druides, they had (according to Diodorus) one
custome to kill men, and by the falling, bleeding, and dismembring of
them, to diuine of things to come: for the which and other wicked
practises, their sect was first condemned for abhominable (as some haue
written) and dissolued in Gallia (as Auentinus witnesseth) by Tiberius
Anna. Boiorum. lib. 22.
and Claudius the emperours; and lastlie abolished here in Britaine (by
the report of Caius) when the gospell of Christ by the preaching of
De ant. Cant.
Fugatius and Damianus was receiued among the Britaines, vnder Lucius
king of Britaine, about the yeare of our sauior, 179.
BARDUS THE SONNE OF DRUIS.
Berosus ant. lib. 2.
Annius in commen. super eundem.
Ant. Cant li. 1.
script. Britan. cent. 1.
Nonnius.
Marcel.
Strabo.
Diodor. Sicul. lib. 6.
Carol. Stepha. in dict. hist.
Bale.
Iohn Prise.
Bardus the sonne of Druis succéeded his father in the kingdome of
Celtica, and was the fift king ouer the Celtes and Samotheans, amongst
whom he was highlie renoumed (as appeareth by Berosus) for inuention of
dities and musicke, wherein Annius of Viterbo writeth, that he trained
his people: and of such as excelled in this knowledge, he made an order
of philosophicall poets or heraulds, calling them by his owne name
Bardi. And it should séeme by doctor Caius and master Bale, that Caesar
found some of them here at his arriuall in this Ile, and reported that
they had also their first begining in the same. The profession and
vsages of these Bardi, Nonnius, Strabo, Diodorus, Stephanus, Bale, and
sir Iohn Prise, are in effect reported after this sort. They did vse to
record the noble exploits of the ancient capteins, and to drawe the
pedegrées and genealogies of such as were liuing. They would frame
pleasant dities and songs, learne the same by heart, and sing them to
instruments at solemne feasts and assemblies of noble men and
gentlemen. Wherefore they were had in so high estimation, that if two
hosts had bene readie ranged to ioine in battell, and that any of them
had fortuned to enter among them, both the hosts (as well the enimies
as the friends) would haue holden their hands, giuen eare vnto them,
and ceassed from fight, vntill these Bards had gone out of the battell.
Lucan. lib. 1.
Of these Bards Lucane saith,