EDgar, by his Brother's death, became King of all England at Sixteen Years of age; but his Coro­nation when, and where, and by whom; is un­certain. Some say he was Crown'd at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Archbishop of Canterbury, in the First Year of his Reign; others say not till the Twelfth; and William of Malmsbury not till the Thirtieth. An­other Chronicle saith in his Eleventh year, and that in the City of Bath, by the hands of Dunstan, whom he call'd home out of Flanders, where he liv'd in Exile. This King had no Warr all his Reign, yet always well prepar'd for Warr; he govern'd the Kingdome in great Peace, Honour and Prosperity, gaining thence the Sirname of Peaceable. The Saxons acknowledg'd him their sole Soveraign without Division of Provin­ces and Titles; under him ended the Heptarchy; till [Page] then the Land was cantl'd out into Seven Principali­ties.

His Acts were some Virtuous, some Politick, some Just, and some Pious, and some with a mixture of Vice; but those related to Women.

His Care and Wisdome was great in guarding the Coast round with Ships, to the Number of Three thousand six hundred, which he divided into Four Squadrons to sayl to and fro about the Four Quarters of the Land, meeting each other. Thus he kept out wisely the Force of Strangers, prevented Foreign Warr, and secur'd the Coasts from Pyrats. He would him­self sayl round his Kingdome once every Summer. In the Winter and Spring time he usually Rode the Cir­cuit as a Judge Itinerant through all his Provinces, to see Justice well administer'd, and the poor not op­pressed; he severely punish'd his Judges, if he found them corrupted with Bribes.

To repress Drunkenness which the Danes had brought in, he made a Law, ordaining a size by certain pinns in the Cup, with penalty to any that shou'd pre­sume to drink deeper then the Mark.

To clear the Land from Wolves which in his dayes did great annoyance to his Country, he wholly remit­ted the Tribute imposed on the Princes of Wales by King Athelston, appointing in lieu thereof a certain Number of Wolves yearly to be paid, whereof the Prince of North Wales for his part was to pay Three hundred, which continu'd for Three years space, and in the fourth year there was not a Wolf to be found, and so the Tribute ceas'd.

[Page] Towards the end of his Reign the Welsh-men mov'd some Rebellion, against whom he went with a Mighty Army, and chastis'd the Authors; but when his Souldiers had gotten great Spoyls, and made prey upon the Innocent Country people, he commanded them to restore it all back again, which if it made some few English angry, it pleas'd the whole Country of the Welsh, and rais'd him high in their admiration.

His Pious Acts were, that he built and re-edify'd seven and forty Monasteries, and meant to have made them up Fifty, but was prevented by Death.

In his Progress going to Chester, he summon'd to his Court there all the Kings that held of him, took ho­mage of them, their names are Kened, King of Scots; Malcolm of Cumberland; Maccuse of the Iles; Five of Wales, Duffnall, Howell, Griffith, Iago, Iudethil. These he had in such awe, that going one day into a Gally he caus'd them to take each man an Oar and row him down the River Dee, whilst himself sate at the Stern, saying, That his Successors might then glory to be Kings of England, when they had such Honour done them.

The same Year he gave to Kened the Scottish King many Rich Presents, and the whole Country of Law­dian or Lothien, to hold of him on condition, That he and his Successors shou'd repair to the English Court at high Festivals when the King sate Crown'd; gave him also many Lodging places by the way, which till the dayes of Henry the Second, were still held by the Kings of Scotland.

He was of Stature not tall, of body slender, yet so well made, that in strength he chose to contend with [Page] such as were thought strongest, and dislik'd nothing more, then that they shou'd spare him for Respect or fear to hurt him. Kened King of Scots then in the Court of Edgar; sitting one day at Table, was heard to say jestingly among his Servants, He wondered how so many Provinces could be held in subjection by such a little dapper man. His words were brought to the King's Ear, he sends for Kened as about some private business, and in talk drawing him forth to a secret place, pro­duces two Swords, gave one of them to Kened, And now, saith he, it shall be try'd; which ought to be the Subject; for it is shameful for a King to boast at Table, and shrink in Fight. Kened abash'd demanded his pardon for what he had simply spoken and no way intended in con­tempt, or to his disparagement, wherewith the King was satisfy'd.

His Faults were, that he deflowr'd a sacred Nunn call'd Wolsechild, on whom yet he begot a Saint, the Chaste Edyth. After her, he took another Virgin out by force, call'd Ethelf [...]ede; where she was placed by her Friends to avoid his pursuit. For her excellent Beauty she was call'd Ethelf [...]ed the White; He kept her as his Concubine, but liv'd not obstinately in the offence; for sharply reproved by the Archbishop Dunstan, he submitted to seven years penance.

Another Story there goes of him, that he chanc'd to hear of a Virgin, Daughter to a Western Duke, ex­ceedingly prais'd for Beauty, and coming to Andover, commanded her to his Bed; The Mother not daring flatly to deny, yet abhorring that her Daughter shou'd [Page] be so deflowr'd, brought in the dark her Maid to him dress'd in her Daughters Cloaths. A Wench it seems not unhandsom nor unwitty, who supply'd the place of her Young Lady. In the Morning making haste to rise, daylight scarce yet appearing, was by the King ask'd Why she made such haste? She answered, To do the Work her Lady had set her, not daring to hazard her displea­sure by a longer stay. By which words the King per­ceiv'd the Deceit, and turn'd it to a Jest. But so well lik'd her company, that he kept her with him, advanc'd her in Honour above her Mistress, and made her take place of her in publick; Lov'd her and accompany'd her only till he marry'd Alfreda.

Alfreda was the only Daughter of Ordgar Duke of Devonshire, Founder of Tavestock Abby in that Coun­ty. She was extreamly cry'd up for a Beauty; the King hearing the loud Commendations, sent his Fa­vourite Earl Ethelwold to see her, intending if she were found such as answer'd report, to demand her in Mar­riage. The Young Earl at sight of the Lady was so surpriz'd with Love, that he began to court her for himself, and concealing the Kings Intentions, got her Fathers consent. Hereupon the Earl posted to the King, told him that the Lady was fair indeed, but no­thing answerable to the fame that went of her; yet desir'd the King that he might marry her, as being her Fathers Heir, thereby to raise his Fortunes: The King consented, and he took another Journey to con­summate the Marriage. Soon after the Fame of her Beauty began to spread more than before; The King [Page] began to doubt he had been abus'd, and to find out the truth, sent the Earl word, that he would come and hunt with him in his Park. Ethelwold fearing the Event, and to cover his deceit from the Kings Eyes, acquainted his Wife with the wrong he had done both her and the King, and earnestly requested her to de­form her self what she could either in Dress or other­wise, lest the King whose Amorous inclination was not unknown, shou'd chance to be attracted. But she considering, that now was the time to make the most of her Beauty, and longing to be a Queen wou'd not be accessary to her own wrong. Against his coming she us'd all her Art in Dressing, put on her Richest Cloaths, and omitted nothing might make her appear charming in his Eyes; which took effect, for the King at first sight was struck with admiration, and in mind resolv'd to recover his intercepted right, and to punish the Interloper of his destin'd Spouse: But hid his resentments under a clear brow, appointing, as was usual, a day of Hunting in a Forrest now call'd Harewood, where in the midst of the Sport singling out the Earl, struck him through with a Dart of Javelin. It chanced that the Earl's base Son coming by upon the Fact, the King sternly ask'd him, How he lik'd this Game? He submisly reply'd, That Whatever pleas'd the King, must not displease him. The King for this Answer took an Affection to the Youth, and ever after highly favour'd him, making amends in the Son for what he had done to the Father. Alfreda was not long a Wi­dow; for after this he made her his Queen, who to expiate her former Husband's death, though therein [Page] she had no hand, cover'd the place of his blood shed with a Monastery of Nunns to sing over him.

This King built the Monastery of Ramsey in Hampshire. He Reigned Sixteen years, Liv'd Seven and thirty, and with great Funeral Pomp was Buried in the Abby of Glassenbury.

These only are his Faults upon Record, rather to be wonder'd how they were so few, and so soon left, he coming at Sixteen to the Licence of a Scep­ter; and that his Virtues were so many, and so ma­ture, he dying before the age wherein Wisdom can in others attain to any ripeness: However, with him dy'd all the Saxon Glory. After him was no­thing heard but their Decline and Ruine.

For the Fact of Ethelwold's Death, this King is Censur'd by most Historians as Cruel and Tyranni­cal; but consider'd well, it may be judg'd more favourably, and that no Man of sensible spirit, but in his place, without extraordinary Perfection, wou'd have done the like; for next to Life, what worse Treason cou'd have been committed against him? From this last Act of his I draw the Argument of this Play, taking notice of no passage of his Life, but his Love to Alfreda.

I have introduced new Persons to raise a Plott, and vary'd from the Chronicle, to better the Cha­racter of the King; Knowing that the Criticks in Poetry are more Censorious and Severe, than the Historians.

Several Forreign Authors have writ upon this part of the Story; some have disguis'd it under bor­row'd [Page] Names, but all of 'em were at a loss when they came towards a conclusion, and have left it imperfect, fearing to blemish the Character of the King: I found it difficult, but hope I have succeeded so well as to make the last Act the best, and the Catastrophe in that point not blameable; the Hus­band receives his death from another hand, whence it appears just, yet accidental. I have mix'd with it a run of Comedy, but not after the manner of our Old Tragi-Comedies, where one half of the Play are Heroes, and the other Mechanicks and Buffoons. The Character of Durzo, I presume is so well judg'd, that none may count his presence in the Court im­pertinent or unsuitable to the business of the Place. But I submit all to a free Censure, careless of the Fate of any trifle in this nature.

Farewell.