FIrste as Galfrydus sayth this londe was named Albyon after the name of Albyne the oldest doughter of Dyoclesyan / and had xxxij. systers. And they were fyrst that enhabyted this londe. And by cause she was the oldest syster she named this loude Albyon after her owne na­me as the Cronycle reherseth. Other saye that this londe was named Al­byon as it where the whyte londe of [Page] whyte rockes about the clyues of the see that were seen fro ferre. Afterwar­de Brute conquered this londe & called it Brytayn after his owne name. And thenne Saxons or Englysshmen con­quered this londe & called it Anglia that is Englonde. Or it is called An­glia of a quene that owed this l [...]nde / sthat was named Angela & was a no­ble dukes doughter of the Saxons. Or as Ysyd sayth Ethi .xv. Anglia hath that name as it were an angle and a corner of the worlde. Or els as Beda sayth li. j. Saynt Gregory sawe En­glysshe childern to selle at Rome & he accorded to the name of the londe / and sayd they ben sothely angles / for her face shyned as angels / for the noblyte of the londe shone in the childern fa­ces. ¶Alfre. The Bryttysshe Anglia is called the other worlde / & for grete plente of all good the grete Charles called it his owne chambre. ¶Solinus The edge of the frensshe clyt sholde be the ende of the worlde / yf the Ylon­of Brytayne ne were not / whiche is worthy to haue the name of an other worlde. ¶Alfre. This Ylonde is cal­led Insula for it is in salo / that is the see / & is beten of with dyuerse course of waters with stremes & with wawes of the s [...]e.

THis Brytayne is acoūted a noble londe both in our storyes & also in the storyes of G [...]ekes / & is sette ayenst Germania. Gallia. Fraunce & Spayne bytwene the north & the west and the see bytwene. This londe is fyfty myle from the clyf of the men that be called morim gessorico. ¶Be­da li. j. And for this Ylonde [...]yeth vn­der the north heed of the worlde / & it hath lyght & bryght nyghtes in the so­mer tyme. So that oftentyme at mydnyght men haue questyons & doubte whether it be euen tyde or dawynge / y ^t is for the tyme of the yere y ^t the sonne goth not ferre vnder y ^• erthe by nyght but passeth by the north syde & cometh soone in to the eest agayne. And ther­fore in the somer ben thyr dayes full longe of .xviij. houres / & the nyghtes of .vj. houres. And after in the wyn­ter ben longe nyghtes of .xviij. houres & shorte dayes of .vj. houres. Also in Armenia. Macedonia. Italia and in other londes of the same lyne the len­gest daye & lengest nyght also is of .rv. houres / & the shortest daye or nyght is ofix. houres. ¶Pliuꝰ in mewe. That Ylonde is chyef of black men ther / is the lengest daye .xij. houres. In Alex­andria in Egypte of .xiiij. houres. In Italia of .xv. houres. In Brytayne of .xviij. houres. In the Ylonde na­med Tyle all the .vj. somer monethes is daye / & all the .vj. wynter monethes is nyght. ¶ Ysyd li. xiij. Brytayne is sette within Occean as it were with­out the worlde / & is sette ayenst Fraū ­ce & Spayne. ¶Giraldus. Brytayne is endlonge and larger in the myddel than in thendes. ¶Orosiꝰ. Brytayne stretcheth in length out of the south in to the north / & in the southest syde hit hath Fraūce / in the south Spayne / in the noth Norwaye / & in the west Hys bernia / that is Irlonde. Whan shyp­men passen the next clyf of that londe they se a cyte that heet Ru [...]py mouth. [Page] ¶Beda li. j. That cyte is now called shortly of Englysshmen Reptacestre / ¶Solinꝰ. Brytane is. viij. hondred myle of lengthe & it be moten from the clyf of Totenesse to the angle of Ca­lydon ¶Alfre. That is from Penwith strete .xv. myle beyonde Michels stowe in Cornewayle vnto Catenesse y ^t is be­yonde Scotlonde / & Brytayne is more than two hondred myle brode from Meneuia y ^t is the vttermest place in Wales vnto Yarmouth in Northfolke. ¶Beda. Oonly outake the lengest out she­tynge of dyuerse forlondes with y ^• whiche Brytayne is all about. xlviij. sythe .lxx. thousande paas.

AS Fraunce passeth Brytayne so Brytayne passeth Irlonde in fayre weder & noblyte / but not in helthe. ¶Beda li. j. for this ylonde is best to brynge forth trees and fruyte / Ruthern & beestes. And wyne groweth therin in some place. The londe hath plente of foules & of beestes of dyuerse maner kynde. The londe is plente­uous & the see also. The londe is no­ble copyous & ryche of noble welles & Ryuers with plente of fysshe. There is grete plente of small fysshe of sa­mon & of celes. ¶Wilhel. de pon. li. iij So that the people in some place fe­deth theyr swyne with fysshe. ¶Beda li. j. There be [...] oftentymes taken Dolphyns. See calues / & Balaynes grete fysshes as whales kynde / and dyuerse maner shelfysshe / amonge the whiche [...] ben muskles that within [...] Margery peerles of all maner of colour and hewe of tody & reed purpure & of blewe / and specyally & moost of whyte. There is also plente of shelfysshe that men dyen therwith syne reed / the redenes therof is won­der fayre & stable / and steyneth neuer with colde ne with [...] / with w [...]et ne with drye / but euer the [...]lder the co­lour is the fayrer. There [...]en also salt welles and hote welles / therof rennen stremes of hote bathes departed in to dyuerse places [...]. For man & woman of all maner age olde or yon­ge. ¶Basilius sayth. That the wa­ter that renneth & passeth by vaynes of certayne metalle taketh in his course grete hete. This ylonde is plente­uous of vaynes of metalles / bras of yron / of leed / of tyn / & of syluer also. ¶Plinius li. vj. ca. vj. In this ylonde vnder the turfe of the londe is good merle foūden / the thryfte of the fatnes dryeth hymself therin. Soo that euer the thycker the felde is merled the better corne it woll bere. There is also an other maner whyte merle / that the londe is y ^• better foure score yere that therwith is merled. ¶Solinus. In this ylonde groweth a stone y ^• is called Gagates / yf ye wyll knowe his fay­renesse / it is blacke as genunes ben / yf ye wyll knowe his kynde / hit bren­neth in water & quencheth in oyle and as to his myght / yf the stone be froted and chauffed hit holdeth what hym neygheth as Succuns a stone that is so named. ¶Ysydorus li. xv. There ben sheep y ^• beren good wulle. There ben many hertes and wylde beestes & fewe wolues / therfore sheep ben the surer without kepynge lefte in the felde. ¶R. In this ylonde also ben ma­ner [Page] Cytees and townes fayre & noble & ryche / many grete Ryuers and stre­mes with grete plente of fysshe / many fayre woodes & grete / with ryght ma­ny beestes tame & wylde. The erthe of that londe is copyous of metall oor / and of saltwelles / of quareyes of mar­ble of dyuerse maner stones / of reed of whyte of softe & of harde / of chalke & of whyte lyme. There is also why­te daye & reed for to make pottes crokkes / stenes / and other vessell / & brente tyle to couere with houses & chirches / as it were in the other samia / that is named samos also. ¶Flaūdres loueth well the wulle of this londe. And Hol­lande the skynnes & felles of all ma­ner of beestes. Guyan the yron & the leed. Irlonde the oor and the salt. All Europa loueth and desyreth the white metall of this londe. ¶Alfredus. Brytayne hath ynough of mater that ther nedeth to bye and selle, or is nedefull to mannes vse / there lacketh neyther salt ne yron. Therfore a versefyour in his metre prayseth this londe in to this maner. Englonde is a good londe fruytfull of wulle / but it is a comer Englonde is full of playe / free men / well worthy to playe / free men / free tonges / free hertes / and free ben all theyr thynges / theyr honde is more free and better than theyr tonge. Also Englonde is beauteuous of londe / floure of londes all about / that londe is ful payed with fruyte & good of his owne / that londe releueth straūge men that hath nede therto. And whan honger greueth other londes that londe fedeth them. That londe bereth fruyte and come good ynough. That londe is well at case / as longe as men lyue in peas. Eest and west in eche londe / ben knowen well the hauenes of En­glonde. Her shyppes foundes and ofte helpeth many londes. Theyr mete & money / men haue ther more comyn al­waye. And for to lerne men gladly ye­ue gyftes. In londe and sronde / wy­de speke men of Englonde. Londe hony mylke chest this ylonde therof shal bere the pryce. This ylonde hath noo nede of other londes all londes must seke helpe at this allone. Of the ly­kynge of theyr woun [...] myght wonder kyng Salomon. The rychesse that ther is an / wolde desyre Octauyan.

IN Brytayne ben hoot welles well arayed and a dressyd to the vse of manhode / marshesse of th [...]ke welles is the grete spyryte of [...] In her hous the fyre endureth alway that neuer chaungeth in to asshes but there the fyre slaketh / hit chaungeth in to stone clottes. ¶Alfre. In Bre­tayne ben many wond [...]es neuertheles foure ben moost wonderfull. The fyr­ste is at Pecton there bloweth so stronge wynde out of the chynes of the [...] ­the that it casteth vp agayne clothes that men caste in. The seconde is at Stonhenge besydes Sal [...]sbury / there ben grete stones & wonder huge / and ben re [...]ed an heygh as it were yates sette vpon other rates. Neuertheles it is not knowen clerely ne aperceyued how and wherfore they ben so are [...]ed and soo wonderfully honged. The thyrde is atte Cherdhoke / there is a grete holownes vnder the erthe / often [Page] many men haue walked therin & ha­ue seen Ryuers & stremes / but nowher can they fynde none ende. The fourth is that rayne is seen reysed vpon hyl­les and anone yspronge about in the feldes. Also there is a grete ponde that conteyneth. lx. ylondes couenable for men to dwelle in / that ponde is be [...]lypped about with sixe score roches and vpon euery roche an egles nest / and thre score ryuers rennen in to that ponde / and none of them all renne in to the see but one. There is a ponde clo­sed about with a walle of tyle and of stone. In that ponde men wasshe and bathe well ofte / and euery man feleth the water hoot or colde ryght as he wyll hymself. There ben salt welles ferre from the see and ben salt all the weke longe vnto saterdaye at noone / and fresshe fro saterdaye noone vnto mondaye. The water of these welles whan it is soden torneth in to small salf fayre and whyte. Also there is a ponde / the water therof hath wonder werkynge / for though all an hoost / stode by the ponde and torned theyr face thyderwarde the water wolde drawe hym vyolently towarde the ponde & wete all theyr clothes / so sholde hors be drawen in the same wyse. And yf the face be torned awaye fro the water the water noyeth not. Ther is a welle that noo streme renneth fro / neyther therto / and yet foure maner fysshes be taken therin / that welle is but .xx. foot longe and .xx. foot brode / and not depe but to the knee / and closeth with hygh bankes on euery syde. In the contree about Wynchestre is a denne or a ca­ [...] / out of that caue bloweth alwaye a [...] wynde / soo that no man may endure to stonde tofore that denne or caue. There is also a ponde that tor­neth tree in to yron yf it be therin a yere. And so trees ben shapen in to whe­stones. Also there is in the toppe of an hylle a buryels euery man that cometh and meteth that buryell / he shall fyn­de it euen of his owne lengthe & me­sure. And yf a pylgryme knele therto anone he shall be all fresshe and fele no gryef of werynes. ¶Gir. in top. Faste by the mynster of Wynburney that is not ferre fro bathe is a wood that bereth moche fruyte / yf the trees of that wood falle in to water or groū de that is neygh and lye there all a yere / the trees tornen in to stones. ¶Gir in itinere. Vnder the Cyte of Chestre renneth that Ryuer Dee / that now departed Englonde and Wales. That Ryuer chaunged euery moneth his fordes as men of the contree tellen / & leueth often the chanell / but whether the water drawe more towarde En­glonde or towarde Wales to what syde that it be / that yere men of that sy­de haue the worst ende & be ouersette / And men of that other syde shall ha­ue better ende and ben at theyr aboue. Whan the water so chaūgeth his course hit bodeth suche happes. This Ry­uer Dee renneth and cometh out of a lake that heet Pymblemere. In this Ryuer is grete plente of samon / ne­uerthelesse in the lake is neuer samon founden. ¶Wilhel. de re. li. ij. Take hede how grete lyght and bryghtnesse of goddes myldenesse hath be shewed vpon Englysshmen sythen they fyrste torned to ryght byleue. So that of no men in one prouynce ben founden soo many hoole bodyes of men after her [Page] deth in lyknes of euerlastyngnes that shall be after the daye of dome / as it well semeth in these holy sayntes. As Edeldrede. Edmonde / the kyng El­phege. Edgar. Cutherd & saynt Ed­warde and many other. I trowe that it be do by a specyall grace of god al­myghty for the nacyon that is sette as it were without the worlde sholde take hede to buryenge of bodyes without corrupcyon and rotynge / and ben the more bolde and stedfast for to trust on the fynall arysynge of deed bodyes for to laste euermore after the daye of do­me.

AFter the fyrst Brutes tyme the ylonde of Brytayne began for to haue the pryncypall partyes / that ben Loegria Cambria that is Wales. And Albania that is now Scotlonde Loegria hath that name of Locrinus that was Brutes oldest sone / and heet Loegria as it were Locrinus londe / but now Loegria is called Englonde The boūdes and merkes were therof some tyme the Frensshe see both by cest and by south ¶Beda li. j. ca. ij. And by north two armes of the see y ^t breketh ferre in to the londe eyther ayenst other But they reche not togyder / the eest arme of tylke tweyne begȳneth about a two lytell myle fro the mynstre of Ebburcurynge. In the west syde of Penulton in that arme is a towne that is called Guydy. The west arme of thylke tweyne hath in the ryght syde a stronge Cyte that heet Aldiud whi­che in her langage is called Clyn [...]sto­ne and standeth vpon a Ryuer that is called Clynt also. ¶R. Some men wolde mene that Loegria endeth att Humbre / & stretcheth no ferther north warde. The seconde partye of Bry­tayne is called Albania that is Scot­londe and hath that name of Albanactus Brutes sone and stretcheth fro the forsayd two armes of the see north­warde vnto the see of Norwaye. Ne­uerthelesse the south partyes of Alba­ma where as Pictes dwelled somtyme lyeth from the water of Twede vnto the Scottesshe see. All that longed so­me tyme to the kyngdome of Northū ­berlonde Brenycon the north syde of Northumberlonde fro the fyrste tyme of Englysshe kynges to y ^t tyme wha [...] Kynadius kyng of Scotlonde that was Alpinus sone dyde awaye the Pictes / and so Ioyned that con [...]ee to y ^• kyngdome of Scotlonde. The [...] partye of Brytayne is Wales Wallia that heet Cambria also and hath that name Cambria of Camber Br [...] tes sone for he was prynce of Wales. In the cest syde Seuarne departed some tyme bytwene Englonde and Wales. But now in the north syde the Ryuer Dee at Chestre / & in the south the Ryuer that is named Vaga at the Castell of Strygelyn departeth En­glonde and Wales. Also kyng Offa for to haue a dystynceyon for euermo­re bytwene the kynges of Englond [...] & of Wales made a longe dyche that strecheth forth out of the south syde by Brystowe vnder the bylles of Wa­les northwarde and passeth the Ry­uers Seuarne and Dee all moost to the heedes and vnto the mouth of the ryuer Dee beyonde Chestre fast by the [Page] castell it renneth bytwene Colehylle & the mynstre of Basyngwerk in to the see. This dyche is yet in many places seen. In saynt Edwardes tyme Walsshe men sholde not passe that dyche w ^c wepen vpon a grete payne. And that was atte erle Haroldes procurynge as it shall be sayd here after. But now in eyther sydes bothe ayonde half & a this half the dyche & specyally in the shyres of Chestre of Shrowesbury & of Herforde in many places ben En­glysshmen and Walsshmen medled togyders.

BRytayne hath thre Ylondes y ^t ben nyghe & longen therto all without the ylondes Orcades / as it were answerynge to the thre chyef partyes of Brytayne. For y ^eyle of Wyght longeth & lyeth to Leogria that is Englonde. The ylonde Mon that is cal­led Angleseya also longeth to Wales / And the ylonde Eubonia y ^t hath two other names & is called Meneuia and Man also whiche longeth to Scotlonde. And all these thre ylondes Wyght Mon & Man ben almoost alyke mo­che & of y ^e lyke quatyte / of the whiche thre all a rewe now foloweth our spe­che. ¶Beda li. j. ca. iij. Claudius sente Vespasianus / & Vespasianus wanne Wyght / and Wyght stretcheth out of the cest in to the west .xxx. myle longe And out of the south in to the north .xij. myle / & is in the eest syde .vj. myle fro the south clyf of Brytayne / and [...] myle in the west syde. ¶Beda li. [...] ca. v. The mesure of this ylonde as Englysshmen gesse is a thousande housholdes & two hondred. ¶Gir. in itinere. Mon that is called Angleseya also is departed from northwales by a shorte arme of the see as it were two myle brode. In Mon ben. iij. hondred / townes. lxiij. and ben accompted for candredes that ben. iij. hondredes / the ylonde is as it were .xxx. myle longe & .xij. myle brode. Candredus is so mo­che londe as cōteyneth an hondred townes / that name candredus is made out of two langages of Brytysshe and of Irysshe. In praysynge of this ylonde Walsshmen he wonte to saye a prouerbe & an olde sawe. Mon man kembry / that is to saye in Englysshe / that lon­de is so good that it semeth y ^t it wolde fynde corne ynough for all the men of Wales. Therfore Virgyls verses may be acordynge therto / as moche as gua­wes / bestes longe Inneth dawes. So moche efte / bryngeth colde dewe in a nyght. In that arme of the see that departed this londe & northwales / is a swolowe that draweth shyppes to it that saylleth by & swoloweth hem in / ryght as doth Cylla and Carybdis y ^t ben two peryllous places in the see of myddell erthe. Therfore men may not saylle by this swalowe / but slyly atte full see. ¶R. Of the merueylles and wondres of the ylonde Mon thou shalt fynde tofore in the chapytre of Wales ¶Gir. in itinere. The thyrde ylonde that is called both Eubonia & Mene­uia that is Man standeth in the myd­dell bytwene the Irysshe vlster & the Scottysshe gallewaye / as it were in the nauell of the see. ¶Beda li. ij. ca. .ix. This ylonde Man conteyneth as it were two ylondes The fyrst is southwarde [Page] the more coūtree and the better corne londe / & conteyneth .ix. hondred and .lx. housholdes. The seconde conteyneth the space of. CCC. and moo as Englysshmen gesse. ¶Gir. iij top. Somtyme was stryfe whether this y­londe Man sholde longe to Brytayne or to Irlonde. And for as moche as ve­nemous wormes y ^t were brought thy [...] lyued there / it was Iuged y ^t the ylonde Man sholde longe to Brytayne. ¶R. In y ^t ylonde is Iortylege & wytchecraft vsed. For woman there selle to shyp­men wynde as it were closed vnder thre knottes of threde / so y ^t the more wynde he wyll haue / the mo knottes he must vndo. There often by daye tyme men of that londe seen men y ^t ben deed [...] ­fore honde byheded or hoole and what deth they deyed. Alyens sette theyr feet vpon feet of the men of y ^• londe for to see suche syghtes as the men of y ^• londe done. ¶Beda li. ij. Scottes dwelled fyrst in this ylonde. ¶Thanatos that is Tenet & is an ylonde besydes [...]ente / and hath that name Thanatos of deth of serpentes / for there ben none / And the erthe therof sleeth serpentes yborn in to other londes. There is noble corne londe & fruytfull. Hit is sap­posed that this ylonde was halowed & blessyd of saynt Austen the fyrste doc­tour of Englysshmen for there he ar­ryued fyrst.

MOliuncius kyng of Brytons was the .xxiij. of hem and the fyrst that gaf hem lawe. He ordeyned that plowmen folowes / goddes tem­ples & hyghe wayes that leden men to Cytees & townes sholde haue the fre­dom of socour / so that euery man that wente to ony of them for socour or for trespaas y ^t he hath doo sholde be sauffor poursute of all his enemyes. But after warde for the wayes were vncer­tayne & stryf was had. Therfore Be­linus the kyng y ^t was the forsayd Moliuncius sone for to putte awaye all doubte & stryf / made foure hyghe kynges wayes preuyleged with all preuy­lege & fredom. And the wayes stretche thrugh the ylonde. The fyrst & gretest of the foure wayes is called Fosse / and stretcheth out of the south in to y ^• north & begynneth from the corner of Cor­newayle & passeth forth by Deuenshyte by Somersete & forth besydes Tetbury vpon Cottes wolde besyde Couentre vnto Leycestre / & so forth by wylde playnes towarde Newerke & ended at Lyncoln. The seconde chyef kynges hyghe waye is named Watlyngstrete & stretcheth thwart ouer Fosse out of the southeest in to the northwest & be­gynneth at Douer and passeth by the myddell of Kente ouer Temse besyde London by west Westmestre & so forth by saynt Albon in y ^• west syde by Don staple by Stratforde by Toweetre by Wedon by south Lylleborn by Athe­ryston vnto Gilbertes hylle that now is called Wrekene & forth by Seuarne & passeth besydes Wrokcestre & then̄e forth to Stratton & so forth by y ^• myddell of Wales vnto Cardykan & en­deth atte Irysshe see. The thyrde waye is called Erynnugestrete & stretcheth out of the west northwest in to erst southeest / & begynneth in Men [...]uia y ^• is in Saynt Dauyds londe in weste [Page] Wales & stretcheth forth vnto Souht­hampton. The fourth is called Ryke­nyldestrete & sretcheth forth by Wor­chestre by Wycombe by Byrmynge­ham by Lychefelde by Derby by Che­strefelde by Yorke & forth vnto Tyn­mouthe.

THre famous Ryuers rennen through Brytayne by the whiche thre Ryuers marchaūtes of beyonde the see comen in shyppes in to Brytayne well nyghe out of all maner of nacyons & londes. These thre Ryuers ben Temse. Seuarne / and humbre. The see ebbeth & floweth atte mou­thes of these thre Ryuers / & departeth the thre prouynces of the Ylonde as it were the thre kyngdomes a sondre / The thre partyes ben Loegria. Cam­bria / & Northumbria. That ben myd­dell Englonde. Wales / and Northumberlonde. ¶R. These name Temse semeth made one name of two names of two Ryuers that ben Tame & Yse for the Ryuer Tame renneth besydes Dorchestre & falleth in Yse / therfore all the Ryuer fro the tyrite heed vnto y ^• eest see is named Tamyse or Temse Temse begynneth besydes Tetbury that is thre myle by north Malmesbu­ry. There the Temse spryngeth of a welle that renneth eestwarde & passeth the Fosse & departeth Glouce [...]tre shyre & Wylshyre / and draweth with hym many other welles & stremes & wexeth [...] at grecestre & passeth forth th [...]n [...] Hampton & so forth by [...] by Wallynforde by Redynge and by London. ¶ [...] de [...] ca. ij. Atte hauen of Sandwhiche hit falleth in to the test see / & holdeth his name .xl. myle beyonde London and departed in some place L [...]c [...]te & Essex West [...]ex & Mercia / that is as it were a grete dele of myddel Englonde ¶R. Seuarne is a Ryuer of Brytayne & is called Habern in Brytona / & hath that name Habern of Habe [...]en y ^t was Estryldes doughter. Guendolon the quene drenched this Habren therin / therfore the Brytons called the Ryuer Habren after the woman that was drowned therin / but by corrupt latyn it is called Sabrina Seuarne in Englysshe. Se­uarne begynneth in y ^• myddell of Wales & passed fyrst towarde the eest vn­to Shrowesbury / & then̄e tomed southwarde vnto Bryggenorth Wyrcestre & Gloucestre & falleth in to the west see besydes Brystowe / & departed in some place Englonde & Wales. ¶Wilhel. de pon. li. iiij. Seuarne is swyft of streme / fysshe craft is therin / wodenes of the swolowynge & of whyrlynge wa­ter casteth vp & gadreth to hepe grete hepes of grauel. Seuarne ofte aryseth & ouerfloweth the hankes. ¶R. Hum­bre hath that name of Humbre kyng of H [...]es for he was drowned therin. And renneth fyrste a crook out of the southsyde of Yorke / and thenne it de­parted the prouynce of Lyndeseye that longed somtyme to the Merces from the other countree Northumberlonde. Trente & Ouse rennen in to Humber & maken the Ryuer full grete. ¶Treuisa. The Merces were men as it we­re of myddel Englonde as it shall be sayd here after.

THe kyngdom of Brytayn was some tyme made fayre with .xxbiij. noble Cytes without ryghte many Castels that were walled with toures with yates & with barres strongely buylded. ¶Alfre. These were the names of the Cytees. Ca [...]rlud that is London. Caerbranck that is Yorke / Caerkente that is Caūterbury. Caer­goraugon that is Wyrcestre. Caerli­rion that is Leycestre. Caerclon that is Gloucestre. Caercolden that is Col­cestre. Carrei y ^t is Chichestre. Saxons called it somtyme Cyssoncestre. Caer­ceri that is Cyrcestre. Caerguent that is Wynchestre. Caergraūte y ^t is Cambrygge. Caerleyll that is Lugubalia & Karlyll. Caerperis that is Porchestre. Caerdrom y ^• is Dorchestre. Caerlud­coit y ^t it Lyncoln & Lyndecolyn. Caer­merthyn that is Merlyns Cyte. Caer­segent y ^t is Sycestre & is vpon Temse not ferre from Redynge. Caerthleon that is Caerlegyon also & hyght fyrst Legecestre & now is named Chestre. Caerbathon y ^t is Bathe & hyght som­tyme Athamannꝰ cyte. Caerpaladour that is Septon y ^t now hyght Shaftes­bury. ¶R. Other cytees ben foūden in Cronycles for vnderstandynge of sto­ryes / of whom it shall folowe. ¶Wilde pon. London is a ryall and a ryche cyte vpon Tamyse / of burgeysses of tychesses of marchaūtes of chaffare & of marchaūdyse. Therfore it is that somtyme whan derth of vytayls is in all Englonde commuly at London it is best chepe by cause of the byers and sellers that ben at London. ¶Gaufre Brute y ^• fyrst kyng of Brytons buyl­ded & edefyed this cyte of London the fyrst cyte of Brytayne in remembraū ce of the cyte of Troye y ^t was destroy­de & called it Troyeneweth & Trinouantū that is newe Troye. After warde kyng Lud called it Caerlud after his owne name / therfor Brytons had grete indygnacyon as Gyldas telleth Afterwarde Englysshmen called the cyte London / & yet after y ^• Normans called it Londres / & is named in latyn Londonia. Rudhudibras kyng Leyles sone was the .viij. kyng of Brytons / he buylded Caūterbury the chyef cyte of Prente / & called it Caerkente. After warde Englyssmen called it Do [...]o­berma / but that is not Douer y ^t stan­deth vpon the clyf of the Frensshe see & is from this Douer .xij. Englysshe myle. Afterwarde this Doroberma was & is called Caūterbury. The sa­me kyng Rudhudibras burlded W [...]nchestre & called it Caerguent & [...] Englysshmen called it Wente & W [...]nchestre after the name of one wyne an Englysshman that was bysshop the [...]e All westsaron was subgette to hym the same kyng buylded Paladour y ^• is Septon that now is called Shaf [...]e [...] ­bury. Brytons tellen that an Egle prophecyed there somtyme. Bladud Le [...] ­les sone a Nygromancer was the .it. kyng of Brytons / he burlded Bathe & called it Caerbathon. Englysshmen called it after Athamannus cyte but atte last men called it Bathoma y ^• is Bathe. ¶Wilhel. de pon. li. ij. In this cyte welleth vp & spryngeth hoote ba­thes & men wene that Iulius Cezar made there suche bathes. ¶R. But Gaufre. monemutēsis in his brytons boke sayth that Bladud made thylke [Page] bathes bycause william hath not seen that brytons boke wrote so by tellynge of othe men / or by his owne gessynge as he wrote other thynges not best auy sedly. Therfore it semeth more sothly that Bladud made not the hoote ba­thes / ne Iulius Cezar dyde suche a dede though Bladud buylde & made the cyte / but it accordeth better to kyndly reason y ^t the water renneth in the erthe by vaynes of brymstone & sulphur and so it is kyndly made hoote in y ^t course & spryngeth vp in dyuerse places of y ^• cyte. And so there ben hote bathes that wasseth of tetres soores and skabbes / ¶Treuisa. Though men myght by crafte make hoote bathes for to dure longe ynough / this accordeth well to reason & to phylosophye that treateth of hote welles & bathes that ben in dyuerse londes though the water of this bathe be more trobly & sourer of sauour & of smelle than other hote bathes ben that I haue seen at Akon in Almayn. And at eyges in Sauoye / whiche ben fayre & clere as ony colde welle streme I haue ben bathed therin and assayed them. ¶R. Claudius Cezar maryed his doughter to Aruiragus kyng of Brytons. This Claudius cezar buylded Gloucestre in y ^e weddynge of his doughter. Brytons called this cyte fyrste after Claudiꝰ name / but afterwarde it was called Gloucestre after one Glora whiche was duke of y ^t contree & stondeth vpon Seuarne in the mar­che of Englonde & Wales. Shrowes­bury is a cyte vpon Seuarne in y ^e marche of Englonde & Wales ysette vpon the toppe of an hylle / and it is called [...] wesbury of shrobbes & fruyte y ^t [...] there somtyme on y ^t hylle. Brytons called it somtyme Pengwern that is the heed of a fayre tree. Shrowesury was somtyme the heed of powesye that stretcheth forth thwart ouer the myddell of Wales vnto y ^• Irysshe see Notyngham standeth vpon Trente & somtyme heet Snotyngham that is y ^e wonnynge of dennes / for the Danes dwelled there somtyme & dygged den­nes & caues vnder harde stones & roc­kes and dwelled there. ¶R. Lyncoln is chyef of the prouynce of Lyndesaye & was called somtyme Caerludcoit / & afterwarde Lyndecoln. It is vncertay­ne who buylded fyrst this cyte but yf it were kyng Lud / & so it semeth by me­nynge of the name / for Caer is brytysshe & is to saye a cyte & coit is a wood and so it semeth that Caerludcoit is to saye Luddes wood towne. Kyng Leyr was Bladuddes sone & buylded Ley­cestre / as it were in the myddell of Englonde vpon the Ryuer Sos & vppon Fosse the kynges hye waye.

TAke hede that Englonde con­teyneth .xxxij. shyres and pro­uynces that now ben called Erldoms reserued Cornewale and the ylondes / ¶Alfre. These ben the names of the Erldoms and shyres. Kente Southsex Sothery Hampshyre Barokshyre that hath his name of a bare ooke that is in the forest of Wyndesore / for at that bare oke men of that shyre were wonte to come togyder and make theyr treatys / and there take counseyll and aduyse. Also Wyldshyre that hete so­me tyme the prouynce of Semeran / Somersete Dorsete Deuenshyre that now is called deuonia in latyn. These .ix. south shyres the Tamyse depar­ted from the other deale of Englonde whiche were somtyme gouerned and ruled by the westsaxons lawe. Eestsex Myddelsex Southfolke Northfolke Hertfordshyre Hūtyngdon shyre North hampton shyre Cambryggesyre Bedfordshyre Buykynghamshyre Leyce­streshyre Derbyshyre Notynghamshyre Lyncolnshyre Yorkeshyre Durhamshyre Northumberlonde Caerleylshyre [Page] with Cumberlonde Appelbyshyre with Westmerlonde. Lancastershyre that cō teyneth fyue lytell shyres. These .xv. North and Eest shyres were somtyme gouerned and ruled by that lawe whiche is called Danelawe. But Oxen­fordshyre Warwykshyre Gloucestreshyre Wyrcestreshyre Herfordshyre Shropshyre Staffordshyre Chestre­shyre. These .viij. myddell and west shyres were somtyme gouerned and ruled by the lawe called Mercia in la­tyn and merchene lawe in Englysshe It is to wete that Yorkshyre stretcheth from the Ryuer of Humbre vnto the Ryuer of Teyse. And yet in Yorkshyre ben .xxij. hondredys hondred & can­dred is all one. Candred is one worde made of Walsshe and Irysshe / and is to menynge a coūtree that conteyneth an hondred townes / and is also in Englysshe called wepentak / for somtyme in the comynge of a newe lorde tenaū ­tes were wonte to yelde vp her wepen in stede of homage. Duramshyre stretcheth from the Ryuer Teyse vnto the Ryuer Tyne. And to speke proprely of Northumberlonde it stretcheth fro the Ryuer of Tyne vnto the Ryuer of Twede that is in the begynnynge of Scotlonde. Thenne yf the coūtree of Northumberlonde that was somtyme from Humbre vnto Twede be now a­counted for one shyre and one Erldo­me as it was somtyme. Thenne ben in Englonde but .xxxij. shyres / but yf the countree of Northumberlonde be departed in to .vi. shyres / that ben Euerwykshyre Duramshyre North­humberlonde Caerleylshyre Appelbyshyre and Lancasshyre. Thenne ben in Englonde .xxxvi. shyres withoute Cornewayle & also without the ylon­des. Kyng William conquerour made all these prouynces and shyres to be descryued and moten. Thenne were founden .xxxvi. shyres and half a shyre Townes two and fyfty thousande and four score. Parysshe chirches .xlv. thousande and two. Knyghtes fees .lxxv. thousande / wherof men of rely­gyon haue .xxviij. thousande and .xv. knyghtes fees. But now woodes ben hewen downe and the londe newe tyl­led and made moche more than was at that tyme and many townes and vyllages buylded / and so ther ben many mo vyllages and townes now than were in that tyme. And were as afore is wryten that Cornewayle is not sette amonge the shyres of Englonde it may stande amonge them wel ynough for it is neyther to Wales neyther in Scotlonde but it is in Englonde and is Ioyneth vnto deuenshyre / and soo may ther ben acompted in Englonde .xxxvij. shyres and an half with the other shyres.

THe kyngdome of Brytayne stode without departynge hole and all one kyngdome to the Brytons from the fyrst Brute vnto Iulius Cezars tyme / and fro Iulius Cezars tyme vnto Seuerus tyme this londe was vnder trybute to the Romayns. Ne­theles kynges they hadde of the same londe from Seuerus vnto the last prynce Gracyan successours of Brytons faylled and Romayns regned in Brytayne. Afterwarde the Romayns lefte of her regnynge in Brytayne by cau­se it was ferre from Rome / and for grete besynesse that they had in other syde. Thenne Scottes and Pyctes by mysledynge of Maximus the tyraunt pursewed Brytayne and warred ther in with grete strengthe of men of ar­mes longe tyme vnto the tyme that the Saxons come at the prayenge of the Brytons agaynst the Pyctes / and put out Gurmonde the Irysshe kyng with his Pyctes and the Brytons also with her kyng that heet Careticus & drofe hem out of Englonde in to Wales / and [Page] so the Saxons were vyctours and euery prouynce after his strength made them a kyng. And so departed Englonde in to seuen kyngdoms. Ne­theles afterwarde these seuen kyngdomes euery after other come all in to o­ne kyngdome all hoole vnder the prynce Adelstone. Neuertheles the Danes pursewed this londe fro Adel wolfys tyme that was Aluredes fader vnto the thyrde saynt Edwardes tyme a­bout hondred .lxx. yere that regned cō tynuelly therin. After the Danes .xxx. yere the thyrde saynt Edwarde regned therin .xxiij. yere and a lytell more / And after hym Haralde helde y ^e kyngdome .ix. monethes. And after hym Normans haue regned vnto this tyme But how longe they shall regne / he wote / to whome no thynge is vnkno­wen. ¶R. Of the forsayd seuen kyng­domes and her markes meres & boū ­des whan they began and how longe they endured here shall I somwhat shortely telle. ¶Alfre. The fyrst kyngdome was the kyngdome of Kente / that stretcheth fro the eest Occean vnto the Ryuer of Tamyse. There reg­ned the fyrst Hengistus / and began to regne by the acomptynge of Dyonyse the yere of our lorde four hondred .lv. that kyngdome dured thre hondred & .lviij. yere vnder .xv. kynges vnto the tyme that Baldrede was put out and Egbert kyng of westsaxon Ioyned that kyngdome to his owne. The seconde kyngdome was of southsaxon / that had in the eest syde Kente / in the south the see and the yle of Wyght / in the west Hampshyre / and in the north so­thery / there Ella regned fyrste with his thre sones / and began to regne the yere after the comynge of the Angles euen .xxx. But that kyngdome with­in a shorte tyme passed in to the other kyngdomes. The thyrde kyngdome was of eestsaxon / and hadde in the eest syde the see / in the west the coun­tree of London / in the south Tamyse and in the north southfolke. The kynges of this countree of westsaxon fro the fyrste Sebertes tyme vnto the ty­me of the Danes were there .x. kyn­ges the whiche were subget somdele to other kynges. Neuertheles oftest and lengest they were vnder the kyn­ges of Mercia / and vnto that tyme that Egbert the kyng of westsaxon Ioyned that kyngdome to his owne / The fourthe kyngdome was of eest Angles and conteyneth Norffolke and Suffolke / and hadde in the eest syde and in the north syde the see / & in the northwest Cambrygeshyre / in the west saynt Edmondes dyche and Herford­shyre / and in the south Estsex. And this kyngdome dured vnder twelue kynges vnto the tyme that kyng Ed­monde was slayne. And thenne the Danes toke wrongfully bothe y ^• kyngdoms of eest Angles and of Eestsaxon Afterwarde the Danes were put out and dryuen awaye or made subgette / And thenne the elder kyng Edwarde Ioyned bothe the kyngdomes to his owne. The fyfthe kyngdome was of Westsaxon and dured lengest of all these kyngdomes / and hadde in the eest syde Southsaxon / in the north Tamyse / in the south and in the west the see Occean. In that kyngdome reg­ned Serdryk with his sone Kenryk and began to regne the yere of our lorde fyue hondred and .xix. and thenne [Page] after the comynge of Angels .lxxi. so sayth Denys the other kyngdoms passed in to this kyngdom. The sixt kyngdome was of Mercia & was grettest of all. The markes & the meres therof were in the west syde the Ryuer Dee fast by Chestre and Seuarne faste by Shrowesbury vnto Brystowe / in the eest the eest see / in the south Tamyse vnto London / in the north the Ryuer Humbre. And so westwarde & downe­warde vnto y ^e Ryuer Mersee vnto the corner of Wyrhall / there Humbre fal­leth in to the west see. Penda Wybbes sone regned fyrst in this kyngdome in the yere of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .vi. hondred .xxvi. soo sayth Denys. And fro y ^• comynge of Angles an hondred .lxxv. yere. This kyngdome dured vnder. xviij. kynges about two hondred .lxiij. yere vnto the laste Colwulf / to the whiche Colwulf the Danes beto­ke that kyngdome to kepe whan Burdred the kyng was put out / but the el­der Edwarde the kyng put out y ^e Danes & Ioyned the kyngdome of Mer­cia to his owne kyngdom. Netheles at y ^• begynnynge this kyngdome of Mercia was departed in thre / in west Mercia / in myddell Mercia / & eest Mercia The. vij. kyngdome was Northam­hymbro (rum) y ^t is the kyngdome of North humberlonde / the meres and markes therof were by west & by eest the see of Occean / by south the Ryuer of Hum­bre & so downewarde towarde the west by thendes of y ^e shyres of Notyngham & of Derby vnto the Ryuer of Mersee & by north the Scottes see / that heet forth in Scottes / werys in Brytysshe [...] Scottysshe see in Englysshe. This [...] of Northumberlonde was fyrst dealed in two prouynces / that o­ne was the south syde & heet Deyra / & that other was the north syde & heet Brenicia / as it were two kyngdoms / & the Ryuer departed these two kyngdomes that tyme / for the kyngdom of Deyra was from the Ryuer of Hum­bre vnto y ^e Ryuer of Tyne. The kyngdome of Brenicia was fro Tyne to the Scottysshe see. And whan Pyctes dwelled there as Beda sayth li. iij. ca. ij That Ninian that holy man conuer­ted men of the south syde. Ida the kyng regned there fyrst & began to regne the yere of our lorde fyue hondred .xlvij. so sayth Dyonyse. In Deyra regned kyng Elle the yere of our lorde fyue hondred. xlix. These two kyngdomes were otherwhyle as it is sayd de­parted bytwene two kyngꝭ & somtyme all hole vnder one kyng / & dured as it were .xx. Englysshe kyngꝭ .CCC .xxi. yere. Atte last Osbertus & Elle were slayne in the .ix. yere of her kyngdom the Danes slewe them / & Northumber londe was voyde without kyng. viij. yere. Then afterwarde the Danes reg­ned in Northumberlonde. xxxvi. yere vnto the oonynge of y ^• kyngdons Adel­stone / he made subget y ^• kyngꝭ Danes Scottysshe & Walsshe & regned fyrste allone in Englonde & helde y ^e kyngdome of Englonde all hole and all one kyngdome y ^• was the yere of our lorde .viij. C. xxviij. That Ryuer of Mersee was somtyme the marke & mere by­twene the kyngdome of Mercia & the kyngdome of Northumberlonde / that may be shewed in two maners / fyrste by the properte of this Mersee / that is as moche to saye as a see that is a boū de & a mere for it departed one kyng­dome [Page] from an other. Also it is wryten in Cronycles of Henry and of Alfre­de that kyng Edwarde the elder fast­ned a castell at Mamcestre in North­humberlond / but that cyte Mamcestre is fro the Ryuer of Mersee scarsely thre myle.

LVcius was the fyrst kyng cry­stened of the Brytons / in his tyme were thre Archebysshops sees in Brytayne / one was at London / an o­ther at Yorke / & the thyrde at Caerusk the cyte of Legyons in Glamorgan / that cyte is now called Caerleon. To these Archebysshops sees were subget .xxviij. bysshops & were called Flam­mes. To the Archebysshops see of London was subget Cornewayle and all myddel Englonde vnto Humbre. To Yorke all Northumberlonde from the howe of Humbre with all Scotlonde. To Caerleon all Wales / ther were in Wales. vij. bysshops / & now ben but foure. Tho Seuarne departed En­glonde & Wales. ¶Wilhel. de pon. li. j. But in y ^• Saxons tyme though saynt Gregory had graūted London the preuylege of tharchebysshops see. Nethe­les saynt Austen that was sente in to Englonde by saynt Gregory torned tharchebysshops see out of London in to Caunterbury. After saynt Grego­ryes dayes at y ^• prayer of kyng Athel­bryght and Cytezeyns & burgeyses of Caūterbury / there tharchebysshops see hath dured vnto now saue that in the meane tyme Offa kyng of Mercia was wroth with men of Caūterbury / and benam them that worshyp / and worchyped Adulph bysshop of Lych­felde with the Archebysshops palle by assent of Adryan the pope vpon caas by yeftes sente. Netheles vn [...] Kenulph the kyng it was restored to Caūterbu­ry agayne. The worshyp of the see of Yorke hath dured there alwaye & du­red yet though Scotlonde be withdrawe fro his subieccyon by passynge of tyme. ¶Gir. in itinere. li. j. The Ar­chebysshoppes see was torned out of Caerleon in to Meneuia that is in the west syde of Demecia vpon the Irysshe see in Saynt Dauyds tyme vnder kyng Arthur. From saynt Dauyds tyme vnto Sampsons tyme were in Meneuia. xxiij. Archebysshops. Afterwarde fylle a pestylence in all Wales of the yelowe euyll / that is called the Iaū dys. And thenne Sampson the Archebysshop toke with hym the palle and wente in to Brytayne Armonica the lasse Brytayne and was there bysshop of Dolensis. From that tyme vnto the fyrste Henryes tyme kyng of Englonde were at Meneuia whiche is called Saynt Dauyds .xxi. bysshoppes all without palle / whether it were for vn­connynge or for pouerte. Netheles al­waye fro that tyme the bysshoppes of Wales were sacred of the bysshop of Meneuia of saynt Dauyds / and the bysshopp of Meneuia was sacred of the bysshoppes of Wales as of his suffrygans and made noo professyonne subieccyon to none other churche. Other bysshoppes that come after­warde were sacred att Caunterbury by compellynge and heest of the kyn­ge / in token of that sacrynge and sub­ieccōn Boneface archebysshop of Caū terbury that was Legate of the Crosse [Page] songe in euery Cathedrall chirche of Wales solempnely. Amas he was the fyrst archebysshop of Caūterbury y ^t so dyde in Wales / & that was done in the seconde Henryes tyme. ¶R. But now ben but two prymates in al Englonde of Caūterbury & of Yorke. To y ^• pry­mate of Caūterbury ben subget. xiij. bysshops in Englonde &. iiij. in Wales The prymate of Yorke hath but two suffrygans in Englonde y ^t ben the bysshops of Caerleyll & of Durham. Of all these sees & chaūgynge of her pla­ces I shall shewe you here folowynge Take hede in the begynny [...]ge of holy chirche in Englonde bysshops ordey­ned theyr sees in lowe places & symple y ^• were couenable for contemplacōn for prayers & deuocyon. But in William conquerours tyme by done of lawe Canon it was ordeyned y ^t bysshops shol­de come out of smale townes in to grete cytees. Therfor was the see of Dorchestre chaūged to Lyncoln. Lychfelde to Chestre. Tetforde to Norwyche. Shyrborn to Salesbury. Welles to Bathe. Cornewayle to Exestre / & Seleseye to Chichestre. The bysshop of Rochestre hath no parysshe but he is y ^e archebysshops chapelayn of Caūterbury. Syth the see of Caunterbury was fyrst ordeyned by saynt Austen / it chaū ged yet neuer his place. Chychestre hath vnder hym oonly Southsex & the yle of Wyght / and had his see fyrst in Seleseye in the tyme of the archebys­shop Theodore / & the see dured there .CCC. xxxiij. yere vnder .xx. bysshops fro the fyrste Wilfrede vnto the laste S [...]ygande / at the commaūdement of kyng William conquerour chaunged [...] see fro Seleseye to Chichestre.

AT Yorke was one see for all the prouynce of Northumber­londe. Paulinus helde fyrst y ^t see & was ordeyned of the bysshop of Caūterbu­ry / & helde that see of Yorke. vij. yere Afterwarde whan kyng Edwyn was slayne & thynges were dystourbed paulinus wente thens by water awaye in to Kente from whens he come fyrst & toke with hym the palle. ¶Wilhel. li. .iij. And so the bysshopryche of Yorke ceased. xxx. yere / & the vse of the palle ceased there an hondred. xxv. yere vnto that Egbert the bysshop y ^t was the kynges broder of the londe recouered it by auctoryte of the pope. ¶R. whan Saynt Oswalde regned Aydanus a Scot was bysshop in Brenicia that is the northsyde of Northumberlonde / after hym Finianus / after hym Salmanus. ¶Wilhel. vbi [...]. Atte last he went in to Scotlonde with grete indygna­cyon / for Wilfred vndertoke hym for he helde vnlawfully Eesterdaye. xxx. yere after y ^t Paulinus was gone from thens Wilfred was made bysshop of Yorke. ¶Beda li. iiij. But whyle he dwelled longe in Fraūce about his sa­crynge at excytynge of quartadecima­no (rum) / that were they y ^t helde Eesterdaye the. xiiij. daye of y ^• mone. Chedde was ytake out of his abbaye of Lestynge & wronfully put out in to y ^e see of Yorke by assent of kyng Oswy. But thre yere afterwarde Theodorus tharchebysshop dyde hym awaye & assygned hym to the prouynce of Mercia / & restored Wilfred to the see of Yorke. But after Wilfred by cause of wrath that was [Page] bytwene hym and the kyng. Egfryde [...] put out of his see by Theodorus helpe tharchebysshop that was corrupt with some maner mede / this was do­ne after that Wylfred had ben bysshop of Yorke. x. yere. Thenne atte [...]nstaū ­ce of the kyng Theodorus made Bo­sam bysshop of Yorke / & Cumbert at Hagustalde chirche / & Eata at Lyn­deffar chirche y ^t now is callid holy ylonde in the Ryuer of Twede. Aydanus foūded fyrst the see / & Theodorus made Eadhedus bysshopp of Repoune y ^t was comen agayne out of Lyndeseye. Wilfred hadde be abbot of Repoune / Theodorus sente Trunwynus to the londe of Pyctes in thendes of Englonde fast by Scotlonde in a place y ^• heet Candida casa / & Whyterne also / there saynt Ninian a Bryton was fyrst foū der & doctour. But all these sees outa­ke Yorke fayled lytell & lytell / for y ^• see of Candida casa y ^t is Galewaye that longed tho to Englonde & dured ma­ny yeres vnder. x. bysshops vnto that it had no power by destroyenge of the Pyctes. The sees of Hagustalde & of Lyndeffar was somtyme all one vn­der. ix. bysshops about foure score yere and ten & dured vnto the comynge of the Danes. In y ^t tyme vnder Hyngar & Hubba Ardulf the bysshop yede longe about with saynt Cuberts body vnto kyng Aluredes tyme kyng of west saxon / & the see of Lyndeffar was sett at Kunegestre y ^t is called Kunyngys­burgh also / that place is called now Vbbesforde vpon Twede. At the last the. xvij. yere of kyng Egbert kyng Edgars sone / that see was chaūged to Durham / & saynt Cutbert [...] body was brought thyder by the doynge of Ed­moude the bysshop / & fro that tyme forwarde the see of Hagustalde & of Lyndeffar faylleth vtterly. The fyrst kyng Henry in the. ix. yere of his reg­ne made the newe see at Caerleyll.

THe Archebysshop of Caūterbury hath vnder hym. xiij. byshopes in Englonde &. iiij. in Wales / he hath Rochestre vnder hym / & that see hath vnder hȳ a parte in Kente alone London hath vnder hym Estsex Myddelsex & half Herfordshyre. Chychestre hath vnder hym Southsex & the yle of Wyght. Wynchestre hath vnder hym Hampshyre & Southerye. Salesbury hath vnder hym Barkshyre Wyldshyre & Dorsete. Exetre hath vnder hym Deuenshyre and Cornewayle. Bathe hath vnder hym Somerseteshyre alone Wyrcester hath vnder hym Gloucestreshyre Wyrcestreshyre & half Warwykshyre. Herforde hath vnder hym Her­fordshyre & some of Shropshyre. Chestre is bysshop of Couentre & of Lych­felde / & hath vnder hym Chestreshyre Staffordshyre Derbyshyre half Warwykshyre some of Shropshyre & some of Lancastreshyre fro the Ryuer of Mersee vnto y ^• Ryuer of Rypyll. Lyncoln hath vnder hym the prouynces y ^• ben bytwene Tamyse & Humbre y ^• ben the shyres of Lyncoln of Leycestre of Northampton of Huntyngdon of Bedforde of Bokyngham of Oxenford & half Herdfordshyre. Ely hath vnder hym Cambrygeshyre outake Merlon­de. Norwyche hath vnder hym Mer­londe Norffolk & Suffolk. Also thar­chebysshop of Caūterbury hath foure suffrygans in Wales that ben Landafsaynt Dauyes Bangor & saynt Assaph [Page] The archebysshop of Yorke hath now but two bysshops vnder hym that ben Durham & Caerleyl. ¶R. And so ben but two prymates in Englonde / what of hem shall doo to y ^t other & in what maner poynt he shal be obedyent & vnder hym. It is fully conteyned within about the yere of our lorde Ihesu cryst a thousande. lxxij. tofore y ^e fyrst kyng William / & the bysshops of Englonde by cōmaūdement of the pope / the cause was handled & treated bytwene the forsayd prymates & ordeyned & demed y ^t the prymate of Yorke shal be subget to the prymate of Caūterbury in thynges that longen to the worshyp of god & to the byleue of holy chirche / so y ^t in what place euer it be in Englonde y ^t the prymate of Caūterbury wyll hote & constreyne to gader a coūseyll of clergye / the prymate of Yorke is holden w ^t his suffrygans for to be there & for to be obedyent to the ordynaūce that ther shall lawfully be ordeyned. Whan the prymate of Caūterbury is deed y ^e pry­mate of Yorke shall come to Caūter­bury & with other bysshops he shall sacre hym y ^t is chosen / & so w ^t other bys­shops he shall sacre his owne prymate Yf the prymate of Yorke be deed / his successour shall come vnto the bysshop of Caūterbury & he shall take his or­denaūce of hym & do his othe w ^t professyon & lawful obedyence. After within about y ^e yere of our lorde. xi. C. lxxxxv. in the tyme of kyng Rycharde ben re­sons lette for the ryght of the partye for eyther prymate / & what one prymate dyde to y ^t other in tyme of Thurstinus of Thomas & of other bysshops of Yorke from the conquest vnto kyng Henryes tyme the thyrde. Also there it is sayd how eche of them starte from other. This place is but a forspekyn­ge & not a full treatys therof / therfore it were noyfull to charge this place w ^t all thylke reasons y ^t there ben made.

BRytons dwelled fyrst in this y­londe the. xviij. yere of Hely the prophete / the. xi. yere of Solinus post­humus kyng of Latyns. xliij. after the takynge of Troye / tofore the buyldynge of Rome. CCCC. xxxij. yere. ¶Beda li ^o. j ^o. They come hyder & toke her cours from Armoryk that now is that other Brytayn / they helde longe tyme the south countrees of the ylonde / hit befell afterwarde in Vespasianus ty­me duke of Rome / that y ^e Pyctes shypped out of Scicia in to Occean / & were dryuen about with the wynde & en­tred in to the north costes of Irlonde & foūde there Scottes & prayed to ha­ue a place to dwelle Inne & myght no­ne gete. For Irlonde as Scottes sayd myght not susteyne both people. Scottes sente the Pyctes to the north sydes of Brytayne & behyght them helpe a­yenst y ^e Brytons y ^t were theyr enemyes yf they wolde aryse / & toke hem wyues of her doughters / vpon suche condycōn yf doubte fylle / who sholde haue ryght for to be kyng / they sholde rather che­se hem a kyng of the moder syde than of the fader syde / of the wymmen kyn rather than of the men kyn. ¶Gaufr In Vespasyan the Emperours tyme whan Marius Aruiragus sone was kyng of Brytons. One Rodryk kyng of Pyctes cam out of Scicia & gan to [Page] destroye Scotlonde. Thenne Marius the kyng slewe this Rodryke & gaf the north partye of Scotlonde that heet Cathenesia to the men that were come with Rodryk & were ouercome by hym for to dwelle [...]nne. But these men had no wyues ne none myght haue of the nacyon of Brytons / therfore they sayl­led in to Irlonde & toke to theyr wy­ues Irysshmens doughters by y ^t coue­naūt y ^t the moder blood sholde be put tofore in successyon of herytage ¶Gir ca. xvij. Netheles Sirinus sup Virgiliū sayth that Pyctes ben agatyrses that had some dwellynge place about the waters of Scicia / & they ben called Pyctes of peyntynge & smytynge of woū ­des y ^t ben seen on her body. So y ^t they semed as men were peynted with woū des / therfore they were called Pyctes as peynted men. These men & these gothes ben all one people. For whan Maximus the tyraunt was wente out of Brytayne in to Fraūce for to occu­pye thempyre. Thenne Gracianus & Valentinianus y ^t were brethern & felo­wes of thempyre brought these gothes out of Scicia with grete gyftes with flateryng & fayre behestes in to y ^e north countree of Brytayne. For they were stalworth & stronge men of armes / & so these theues & brybo [...]s were made men of londe & of coūtree / & dwelled in the north coūtrees & helde there cy­tees & townes. ¶Gaufre. Carancius the tyraūt slewe Bassianus by helpe & treason of the Pyctes y ^t come in hel­pe & socour of Bassianus / and gaf the Pyctes a dwellynge place in Albania that is Scotlonde / there they dwelled longe tyme afterwarde & medled with Brytons. ¶R. Thenne syth y ^t Pyctes occupyed fyrst the north syde of Scot­londe. It semeth y ^t the dwellynge place y ^t this Carancius gaf hem is the south syde of Scotlonde that stretcheth from the thwart ouer walle of Romayns werke to the Scottysshe see / & contey­neth Gallewaye & Lodouia y ^t is Co­dewaye. ¶Therof Beda li. iij. ca. ij. speketh in this maner. Ninian the ho­ly man conuerted the south Pyctes. Afterwarde the Saxons come & made y ^t coūtree longe to Brenicia y ^• north partye of Northumberlonde vnto the tyme that Kynadius Alpinus sone kyng of Scotlonde put out the Pyctes / & made that coūtre y ^t lyeth bytwene Twede & the Scottysshe see longe to his kyng­dome. ¶Beda li. j. ca. j. Afterwarde longe tyme the Scottes were ledde by duke Renda & come out of Irlonde y ^• is the propre coūtree of Scottes & with loue or with strength made hem a place fast by the Pyctes in the north syde of that arme of the see / that breketh in to the londe in the west syde y ^• departed in olde tyme bytwene Brytons & Pyctes. Of this duke Renda the Scottes had the name & were called Dalren­dines as it were Rendaes parte / for in hyr speche a parte is called dal. ¶Gir [...]. The Pyctes myght haue no wyues of Brytons / but they toke hem wyues of Irysshe Scottes & promysed hem fayre for to dwelle with hem / & graū ­ted hem a londe by the see syde / there the see is narowe / that londe is called now Gallewaye. Marianus Irysshe Scott [...] londed at Argayll / that is scotten clyf for Scottes londed there for to do harme to the Brytons / or for that place is nexte to Irlonde for to come a londe in Brytayne. ¶Beda. And [Page] so the Scottes after the Brytons and Pyctes made y ^e thyrde peple dwellyng in Brytayne. ¶R. Thenne after that come the Saxons atte prayenge of the Brytons to helpe hem ayenst the Scottes & Pyctes. And the Brytons were soone put out in to Wales / & Saxons ocupyed the londe lytell & lytell / and efte more to the Scottysshe see. And so Saxons made the fourthe maner of men in the ylonde of Brytayne. ¶Beda. li. v. ca. ix. For Saxons and Angles come out of Germania / yet some Brytons that dwellen nyghe callen hemshortly Germayns. ¶R. Netheles a­bout y ^• yere of our lorde. viij. hondred Egbertus kyng of westsaxon cōmaū ­ded & hadde all men to calle the men of the londe Englysshmen. ¶Alfre. Thenne after that y ^• Danes pursued the londe about a two hondred yere / that is for to saye fro the forsayd Egbertus tyme vnto saynt Edwardes tyme / & made the fyfth maner of people in the ylonde / but they faylled after­warde. At the last come Normans vnder duke William & subdued Englysshe men / & yet kepe they the londe and they made the sixth people in the ylonde. But in the fyrst kyng Hemryes ty­me come many Flemynges & receyued a dwellynge place for a tyme besyde Maylros in the west syde of Englon­de / and made the seuenth people in the ylonde. Netheles by cōmaundement of the same kyng they were put thens & dryuen to Hauerfordes syde in the west syde of Wales. ¶R. And soo now in Brytayne Danes and Pyctes fayllen all out / & fyue nacyons dwellen therin that ben Scottes in Albania / that is Scotlonde. Brytons in Cambria that is Wales / but that Flemynges dwelle in that is west Wales. And Normans and Englysshmen ben medled in all the ylonde / for it is now doubte in sto­ryes how & in what maner they were put awaye and destroyed out of Bry­tayne. Now it is to declare how the Pyctes were destroyed and faylled. ¶Gir. [...]. ca. xvij. Brytayne was some tyme occupyed with Saxons / & peas was made & stablysshed with the Pyctes / thenne the Scottes that come with the Pyctes sawe that the Pyctes were nobler of dedes & better men of armes though they were lasse in nombre than the Scottes. Thenne the Scottes ha­uynge therof enuye torned to theyr naturell treason that they haue ofte vsed For in treason they passe other men & ben traytours as it were by kynde / for they prayed all the Pyctes & specyally the grete of hem to a feest / and wayted her tyme whan the Pyctes were mery and hadde well dronke / they drewe vp nayles that helde vp holowe benches vnder the Pyctes & the Pyctes vnware and sodaynly fylle in ouer the hāmes in to a wonderfull pytfalle. Thenne the Scottes fylle on the Pyctes and slewe them & lefte hone alyue. And so of two maner people the better warry ours were ho [...]ly destroyed. But the o­ther that ben the Scottes whiche ben traytours all vnlyke to the Pyctes to­ke prouffyte by that fals treason / for they toke all that londe & holde it yet vnto this tyme & calle it Scotlonde after hyr owne name. In kyng Edgarꝰ tyme Kynadiꝰ Alpmus sone was du­ke & leder of the Scottes and warred in Pycte londe & destroyed the Pyctes. he warred sixe sythes in Saxon and [Page] toke all the londe y ^t is bytwene Twe­de & the Scottysshe see with wronge & with strengthe.

AS it is knowen how many maner of people ben in this ylon­de / there ben also so many langages & tonges. Netheles Walsshe & Scottes y ^t ben not meddled with other nacyons kepe nyghe yet theyr langage & speche But yet the Scottes y ^t were somtyme confederate & dwelled with Pyctes drawe somwhat after theyr speche. But the Flemynges y ^t dwelle in the west syde of Wales haue lefte her straūge speche & speken lyke to Saxons / also Englysshmen though they had fro the be­gynnyng thre maner speches. southern northern & myddell speche in the myd­dell of the londe as they come of thre maner of people of Germania. Netheles by cōmixion & medlynge fyrst with Danes & afterwarde with Normans in many thynges the coūtree langage is appayred / for some vse straūge wlaffynge chyterynge harrynge garrynge & grysbytynge. This apayrynge of y ^• langage cometh of two thynges / ones by cause that childern y ^t gone to scole lerne to speke fyrst Enlysshe / & than ben compelled to constrewe her lessons in Frensshe & that haue ben vsed syn the Normans come in to Englonde / Also gentylmens childern ben lerned & taught from theyr yongth to speke Frensshe / & vp londesshmen wyll coū ­terfete & lyken hem self to gentylmen. & arn besy to speke Frensshe for to be more sette by / wherfore it is sayd by a comyn prouerbe. Iack wolde be a gen­tylmen yf he coude speke Frensshe / ¶Treuisa. This was moche vsed to for the grete deth / but syth it is somde le chaūged / for syr Iohan Cornewayle a mayster of gramer chaunged the te­chynge of gramer scole & construccion of Frensshe in to Englysshe. And other scole maysters vse the same waye now in the yere of our lorde a. M.CCC..lxxxv.the. ix. yere of kyng Rycharde the seconde / & leue all Frensshe in sco­les & vse all construccōn in Englysshe wherin they haue auaūtage one waye that is y ^t they lerne the sooner theyr gramer / & in an other dysauauntage / for now they lerne no Frensshe ne can no­ne / whiche is hurte for them that shal passe the see. And also gentylmen ha­ue moche lefte to teche theyr children to speke Frensshe. ¶R. Hit semeth a grete wonder y ^t Englysshmen haue so grete dyuersyte in theyr owne langage in sowne & in spekynge of it whiche is all in one ylonde. And the langage of Normandye is comen out of an other londe & hath one maner sowne amonge all them that speketh it in Englonde / for a man of Kente. Southern. Western & Northern men speken Frensshe all lyke in sowne & speche / but they can not speke theyr Englysshe [...]oo. ¶Treuisa. Netheles ther is as many dyuerse maner of Frensshe in the rea­me of Fraūce as dyuerse Englyssh in the reame of Englonde. ¶R. Also of the forsayd tonge whiche is departed in thre is grete wonder / for men of the cest with men of the west accorde bet­ter in sownynge of theyr speche / than men of the north w ^t men of the south Therfore it is y ^t men of Mer [...] that [Page] ben of myddell Englonde as it were partyners with the endes vnderstande better the syde langages northern and southern than northern & southern vnderstande eyther other ¶Wilhel. de pō li. iij. All the langages of the Northum bres & specyally at Yorke is so sharpe shyttynge frotynge & vnshappe / that we southern men may vnneth vnder­stande that langage. I suppose the cause be y ^• they be nyghe to the alyens that speke straūgely. And also by cause that the kyngꝭ of Englonde abyde & dwel­le more in the south coūtree than in the north coūtree. The cause why they a­byde more in the south coūtre than in the north coūtree / is by cause y ^t ther is better corn londe more people moo no­ble cytees & moo profytable hauens in the south coūtree than in the north.

IT is a comyn sawe y ^t the coūtre which is now named Scotlonde is an outstretchynge of y ^e north partye of Brytayne / & is departed in the south syde from Brytayne w ^t armes of the see / & in the other syde all about be clypped w ^t the see. This londe heet so­me tyme Albania & had y ^t name of Albanactus y ^t was kyng Brutes sone / for Albanactus dwelled fyrst therin / or of the prouynce Albania y ^t is a coūtre of Scicia & nyghe to Amazona / therfore Scottes ben called as it were scyttes / for they come out of Scicia. Afterwarde y ^t londe heet Pictauia for y ^e Pyctes regned therin a. M. lxx. yere / or as so­me telle a M. CCC. lx. yere. And atte last heet Hibernia as Irlonde hyght ¶Gir. in top. For many skylles / one skyll is for affynyte & alye y ^t was by­twene them & Irysshmen / for they toke wyues of Irlonde & that is openly seen in her byleue / in clothynge / in langage & in speche / in wepen & in maners. An other skyll is for Irysshmen dwelled there somtyme ¶Beda li. j. Out of Irlonde y ^t is the propre coūtre of Scottes come Irysshmen w ^t her duke y ^t was called Renda. And w ^t loue & w ^e strength made hem chyef sees & cytees besydes the Pictes in y ^• northsyde. ¶Gir. Now y ^e londe is shortly called Scotlonde of Scottes y ^t come out of Irlonde & regned therin. CCC. xv. yere vnto y ^e reed Williams tyme y ^t was Malcolins brod ¶R. Many euydencꝭ we haue of this Scotlonde y ^t it is ofte called & hyght Hibernia as Irlonde doth. ¶Ther for Beda li. ij. ca. xi. sayth y ^t Laurence ar­che bysshop of Dunbar was archebysshop of Scotts y ^t dwelled in an ylonde y ^t heet Hibernia & is next to Brytayne Also Beda li. iij. ca. xxvij. sayth. Pestylence of moreyn bare downe Hibernia Also li. iij. ca. ij. sayth That the Scottꝭ y ^t dwelled in the south syde of Hibernia Also li. iiij. ca. iij. he sayth that Cladde was a yonglynge & lerned the rule of monkes in Hibernia. Also li. iiij. ca. xxij Egfridus kyng of Northumberlonde destroyed Hibernia. Also li. iiij. ca. xv. the moost dele of Scottꝭ in Hibernia / & in the same chapytre he called Hibernia proprely named / y ^t west ylonde is an hondred myle from eueryche Bry­tayne / & departed with the see bytwene & called Hibernia y ^t coūtre y ^t now is called Scotlonde / chere he telleth y ^t Ada­muan abbot of this ylonde saylled to Hibernia for to teche Irysshmen the lawfull esterdaye. And atte last come agayne in to Scotlonde. ¶Ysy. ethi. li. .xiiij. Men of this Scotlonde ben na­med [Page] Scottes in theyr owne langage & Pictes also / for somtyme her body was peynted in this maner / they wolde sō ­tyme w ^t a sharpe egged tole prycke & kerue her owne bodyes & make theron dyuerse fygures & shappes and peynte hem with ynke or w ^t other peynture or colour / & by cause they were so peynted they were called Picti / that is to saye peynted. ¶Erodotꝭ Scottes ben lyght of herte / straūge & wylde ynough / but by medlynge of Englyshmen they ben moche amended / they ben cruell vpon theyr enemyes & hateth bondage most of ony thynge / and holde for a foule slouth yf a man deye in his bedde / & grete worshyp yf he deye in the felde / They ben lytell of mete & mowe fast longe / & eten selde whan the sonne is vp / & eten flesshe fysshe mylke & fruyt more than brede. And though they be fayr of shappe they ben defouled & made vnsemely ynough w ^t theyr owne clothynge. They prayse fast the vsages of theyr owne forfaders & despysen o­ther mēnes doynge / her londe is fruyt full ynough in pasture gardyns & fel­des ¶Gir. de [...]. ca. xviij. The prynces of Scottes as the kynges of Spayne ben not wonte to be enoynted ne crow­ned. In this Scotlonde is solempne & grete mȳde of saȳt Andrewe thapostle For saynt Andrewe had the north contrees of the worlde Scytes & Pyctes to his lotte for to preche & conuerte y ^e people to Crystes byleue. And atte last he was martred in Achaia in Grecia in a cyte y ^t was named Patras / & his bo­nes were kepte. CC. lxxn. yere vnto Constantinus themperours tyme / and thenne they were transleted in to Constatynople & kept there. C. x. yere vn­to Theodosiꝭ themperours tyme. And then̄e Vngus kyng of Pyctes in Scotlonde destroyed a grete parte in Bry­tayne & was besette w ^t a grete hoost of Brytons in a felde called Merke / & he herde saynt Andrewespeke to hym in this maner. Vngus vngus here y ^u me crystes apostle. I promyse the helpe & socour / whan y ^u hast ouercomen thyn e­nemyes by my helpe / y ^u shalt gyue the thyrde dele of thyn herytage in almesse to god almyghty & in the worshyp of saynt Andre we / & the sygne of y ^• crosse went tofore his hoost & the thyrde day he had vyctory & so torned home ayene & deled his herytage as he was boden And for he was vncertayne what cyte he sholde dele for saynt Andrewe / he fasted thre dayes / he & his men prayed saynt Andrewe y ^t he wolde shewe hym what place he wolde chese. And one of the wardeyns y ^t kept the body of saynt Andrewe in Constanstinople was warned in his slepe y ^t he sholde go in to a place whyder an angell wolde lede hȳ & so he come in to Scotlonde with. vn. felowes to y ^t toppe of an hylle named Ragmonde. The same hour lyght of heuen beshone & beclypped the kyng of Pyctes y ^t was comyng w ^t his hoost to a place called Carceuan. There anon were heled many seke men There met with the kyng Regulus the monke of Constantynople with the relyques of saynt Andrewe. There is founded a chirche in worshyp of saynt Andrewe y ^t is heed of all the chirches in the londe of Pyctes y ^• is Scotlonde. To this chirche comen pylgryms out of al londes. There was Regulus fyrst abbot & gadred monkes. And so al y ^e tyenthe londe that the kyng had assygned hym [Page] he departed it in dyuerse places amonge abbayes.

HIbernia y ^t is Irlonde / & was of olde tyme Incorperate in to the lordshyp of Brytayne soo sayth Gir. in sua topp̄. Where he descryueth it at full. Yet it is worthy & semely to prayse y ^e londe w ^t larger praysynge / for to come to clere & full knowleche of y ^t londe these tytles y ^t folowe opene y ^e waye Therfore I shal telle of the place & stede of y ^t londe how grete & what maner londe it is / wherof y ^t londe hath plente & wherof it hath defaute / also of what men y ^• dwelled therin fyrst. Of maners of men of y ^• londe. Of the wondres of that londe / & of worthynes of halowes and sayntes of that londe.

IRlonde is the last of all the west ylondes & hyght Hibernia of o­ne Hiberus of Spayne y ^t was Hermonius broder / for these two brethern gate & wanne y ^t londe by conquest. Or it is called Hibernia of y ^t ryuer Hiberꝰ y ^t is in the west ende of Spayne / & y ^t londe hyght Scotlonde also / for Scottes dwelled there somtyme er they come in to y ^t other Scotlonde y ^t longed to Brytayne / therfor it is wryten in the Martyloge. Suche a day in Scotlond saȳt Bryde was born / & y ^t was in Irlonde This londe hath in the southest syde Spayne thre dayes sayllynge thens a syde half / & hath in the est syde y ^e more Brytayne thens a dayes sayllynge / in the west syde the endles Occean / & in the north syde Yselonde thre dayes sayl lynge thens. ¶Solinus. But the see y ^t is bytwene Brytayne & Irlonde is al the yere full of grete wawes & vnesy / so y ^t men may selde saylle sykerly by­twene / that see is .C. xx. myle brode.

IRlonde is an ylonde grettest af­ter Brytayne / & stretcheth north warde from Brendas hylles vnto the londe Columbina & conteyneth .viij. dayes Iourney / euery Iourney .xl. myle / & from Deuelyn to Patryks hylles & to the see in y ^t syde in brede .iiij. Iourneys / & Irlonde is narower in y ^• myd­del than in thendes / al otherwyse than Brytayne is / as Irlonde is shorter northwarde than Brytayne / soo is it lenger southward / y ^e londe is not playne but full of montayns of hylles of wodes of mareys & of mores / the londe is softe rayny wyndy & lowe by y ^e see syde & within hylly & sondy. ¶Solinus Ther is grete plente of noble pasture & of leese / therfore the bestꝭ must be oft dryuen out of theyr pasture lest they ete ouermoche for they sholde shende hem self yf they myght ete at theyr wyll / ¶Gir. Men of y ^t londe haue cōmunely theyr helth / & straūgers haue ofte a perylous flux bycause of the moysture of y ^e mete. The flesshe of kyen is there holsome / & swynes flesshe vnholsome. Men of y ^t londe haue no feuer but on­ly the feuer ague & y ^t ryght selde. Therfore the holsomnes & helth of y ^t londe & the clennes out of venyme is worth all the boost & rychesse of trees of her­bes of spycer of ryche clothes & of pre­tyous [Page] stones of the cest londes. The cause of the helth & holsomnes of y ^t londe is the attemperate hete & colde y ^t is therin. In [...]bz rebz sufficit. In this londe ben mo kyen than oxen / more pasture than corn / more gras than seed / ther is plente of samon / of lamprayes / of celes & of other see fysshe. Of egles / of cranes / of pecoks of curlewes / of sperhaukes / of goshaukes & of gentyl fawcons. Of wolues & ryght shrewed myse Ther ben attercoppes / blood soukers cettes y ^• done none harme / ther ben [...]eyres lytell of body & full hardy & stron­ge / ther ben bernacles foules lyke to wylde ghees whiche growen wonderly vpon trees / as it were nature wrought agayne kynde. Men of relygyon eteth bernacles on fastyndayes bycause they ben not engendred w ^t flessh / wherin as me thynketh they erre / for reason is a­yenst that. For yf yf a man had eten of Adams legge he had eten flesshe / & yet Adam was not engendred of fader & moder / but y ^t flesshe come wonderly of the erthe / & so this flesshe come wonderly of y ^e tree. In this londe is plente of hony & of mylke of wyne & of vyneyerdes ¶Solinꝭ & Ysid. wryten y ^t Irlonde hath no bees Netheles it were better wryten y ^t Irlonde had bees & no vyne yerdes ¶Also Beda sayth y ^t ther is grete huntynge to roobuckes / & it is kno­we y ^t there ben none. It is no wonder of Beda for he sawe neuer that londe but some man told hȳ suche tales. Also ther groweth y ^t stone Saxagonus & is called Iris also as it were y ^e raynbowe yf y ^e stone be holde agaynst the sonne anone it shall shape a raynbowe / ther is also foūden a stone y ^t is called Ga­gates & whyte margery perles

WHete cornes ben there ful small vnneth yclensed w ^t mānes honde / reserued m [...]n / al bestes ben smaller there than in other londes. Ther lac­keth wel nygh al maner fysshe of fres­she water y ^t is not gendred in the see / ther lacken vnkynde faucons gerfau­cons / partrychis / fesaūte nyghtȳgals & pyes / ther lacken also Roo & bucke & Ilespiles wontes and other venemous bestes. Therfore some men feynen & y ^• fauourably y ^t saynt Patryke clensed y ^• londe of wormes & of venemous bestꝭ but it is more probable & more skylful y ^t this londe was from the begynnyng alwaye without suche wormes for ve­nemous beestes & wormes deyen there anone yf men brynge hem thyder out of other londes. And also veyyme and poyson brought thyder out of other londes lesen theyr malyce as soone as it passeth y ^e myddell of the see. Also pou­der & erthe of y ^t londe caste & sowen in other londes dryuen awaye wormes [...]o ferforth y ^t yf a turt of y ^t londe be put about a worme it sleeth hȳ or maketh hym thrylle y ^e erthe for te [...]cape awaye In y ^e londe cockes crowe but lytell to­fore daye / soo y ^t the fyrst crowynge of cockes in y ^t londe & the thyrde in other londes ben lyke ferre tofore the daye.

O Iraldus sayth y ^e Casera Noes nece drad the flood & fledde w ^t thre men & fyfty wȳmen in to y ^• ylon­de & dwelled therin fyrst the last yeretofore Noes flood. But afterwarde [Page] Bartholanꝰ Seres sone that come of Iaphet Noes sone come thyther w ^r his thre sones by happe or by craft .CCC. yere after Noes flood & dwelled there & encreaced to y ^e nombre of .ix. M. men & afterwarde for stenche of kareyns of geaūtes y ^t they had kylde they deyeden all saue one Ruanus y ^t lyued a .M. v ^c. yere vnto saynt Patryks tyme / & enformed the holy man of the forsayd men & of all theyr doynges & dedes. Then the thyrde tyme come thyder Nymeth out of Scicia w ^t his .iiij. sones & dwel­led there .CC .xvi. yere. And atte laste of his ofspryng by dyuerse myshappes of warres & of moreyne they were cle­ne destroyed & y ^e londe lefte voyde .CC yere after. The fourth tyme fyue du­kes y ^t were brethern Gandiꝰ. Genan­dus. Sagandius. Rutheragus Slauiꝰ of the sayd Nymethes successours come out of Grece & occupyed y ^• londe & deled it in fyue partyes / & euery partye conteyneth .xxij. candredes. A candrede is a coūtree y ^t conteyneth .C. townes / & they sette a stone in y ^e myddell of the londe as it were in the nauell & begynnynge of fyue kyngdomes. At the last Slauius was made kyng of all y ^e londe. The fyfth tyme whan this nacyon was .xxx. yere togyder they wexe feble Foure noble men y ^t were Millesius the kynges sones come out of Spayne w ^t many other in a nauye of .lx. shyppes And two of the worthyest of these .iiij. brethern y ^• heet Hiberus & Hermon de­led the londe bytwene hem tweyne / but afterwarde couenaūt was broken by­twene hem both & Hiberus was slayne Thenne Hermon was kyng of all y ^t londe. And from his tyme to the fyrst [...] tyme were kyngs of y ^t nacion .C .xxxi. And so fro the comynge of the Hibernensis vnto the fyrst Patryk we­re .M .viij. yere. They had that name Hibernenses & Hibernia of y ^e forsayd Hiberus / or els of Hiberus a Ryuer of Spayne. They were called also Gay­tels & Scottꝰ of one Gaytelus y ^t was Phenis neuewe. This Gaytelus cou­de speke many langages / after the langages y ^t were made at Nemproths tour & wedded one Scotta Pharoes doughter. Of these dukes come y ^e Hibernensis Men saye that this Gaytelus made y ^e Irysshe langage & called it Gaytelaf as it were a langage gadred of all langages & tonges. At the last Belinus kyng of Brytayne had a sone & hyght Gurgunciꝰ. As this Gurgunciꝰ come out of Denmarke atte ylondes Orcades / he foūde men y ^t were called Bas­clensis & were come thyd out of Spayne / thyse men prayed & besought for to haue place to dwelle jnne. And y ^e kyng sente hem to Irlonde y ^t was tho voyde & waste / & ordeyned & sente w ^t hem dukes & capteyns of his owne / & so it se­meth y ^t Irlonde sholde longe to Brytayne by ryght of olde tyme. From the fyrst saynt Patryk vnto Fedliundiꝰ the kyngꝰ tyme. CCCC. yere regned xxxiij. kyngs eueryche after other in Irlonde. In this Fedliundius tyme Tur­gesius duke & captayne of Norwayes brought thyder men of Norwaye & occupyed y ^t londe & made in many plac [...] depe dyches & castels sengle double & treble & many wardes strongly walled & many therof stande yet all hole / but Irysshmen reche not of castels / for they take wodes for castels & mareys & mo­res for castel dyches / but atte last Turgesius deyed by gylefull wyles of wo­men [Page] / & Englysshmen saye that Gur­mundus wanne Irlonde & made thyl­ke dyches / & make no mencōn of Turgesiꝰ / & Irysshmen speke of Turgesiꝰ & knowe not of Gurmūdus. Therfor it is to wete y ^t Gurmūdus had wonne Brytayne & dwelled therin / and sente Turgesiꝰ w ^t grete strength in to Ir­londe for to wynne that londe. & bycause Turgesius was captayne & leder of that vyage & Iourneye & seen amon­ge them / therfore Irysshmen speke moche of hym as a noble man that was sern in that londe & knowen. Atte last whan Gurmūdus was slayne in Fraū ce. Turgesius loued the kyngꝰ doughter of Irlonde / & her fader behyght Turgesius that he wolde sende her hym to the lowe larherin with .xv. maydens / & Turgesius promysed to mete there w ^t .xv. of the noblest men that he had / & helde couenaūt & thought no gyle / but ther come. xv. yonge berdles men clo­thed lyke wȳmen w ^t short swerdes vn­der her clothes / & fylle on Turgesius & slewe hym ryght there / & so he was traytoursly slayne after he had regned xxx. yere. Not longe after thre brethern Amelanus Siracus & Iuorus come in to Irlonde w ^t hyr men out of Nor­waye as it had ben for loue of peas & of marchaūdyse & dwelled by the see sydes by assente of Irysshmen that were alwaye ydle as Poules knyghtꝰ / & y ^e Norwayes buylded thre cytees Deue­lyn Waterforde & Lymeryche & encre­ced & after wexe rebell ayenst men of that londe & brought fyrst sparthes in to Irlonde. So fro Turgesius tyme vnto Roderyks tyme kyng of Conna­cia that was y ^e last that was kyng of all the londe were .xvij. kynges in Ir­londe. And so the kyngꝰ that regned in Irlonde from y ^e Hermons tyme vnto the last Roderyks tyme were in all an .C .lxxxi. kyngꝰ that were not crowned neyther enoynted ne by lawe of herytage / but by myght maystrye & strength of armes. The seconde Henry kyng of Englonde made this Roderyk subget the yere of kyng Henryes age .xl. and of hit regne .xvij. the yere of our lor­de .xi. hondred .lxxij.

sOlinus sayth that men of this londe ben straūge of nacōn houseles & grete fyghters & acoūte [...]yght & wronge all tor one thynge / & ben syngle of clothynge scarse of mete cruell of herte / angry of speche / & drynketh fyrst blood of deed men y ^• ben slayne & then wesshen theyr vysages therwith & holde hem payed w ^t flesshe & fruyte in stede of mete & with mylke in stede of drȳke / & vsen moche playenge ydlenes & huntynge / & trauayll but lytell. In theyr chilhode they ben harde nourys­shed & harde fed & they be vnsemely of maners & of clothynge & haue breche & hosen allone of wolle & strayte hodes y ^• stretcheth a cubyte ouer the sholders behynde & foldynges in stede of man­tels & of clokes. Also they vse no sadels bootes ne spores whan they ryde / but they dryue theyr horses w ^t a chambred yerde in y ^e ouer ende. In stede of byttes w ^t trenches & of brydles of reest / they vse brydles y ^• lette not theyr hois to ete theyr mete / they fyght vnarmed naked in body / netheles w ^t two dartes & spe­res. & w ^t brode sparthes they fyght with [Page] one honde. These men forsaken tyllȳ ­ge of londe & kepen pasture for bestes They vse longe berdes & longe lockes hangynge downe behynde her hedes / they vse no craft of flaxe / of wolle / of metall / ne of marchaundyse / but gyue hem to ydlenes & to slouth / & reken rest for lykynge / & fredome for ryches. And though Scotlonde the doughter of Irlonde vse harpe tymbre & tabour. Ne­theles Irysshmen be connynge in two maner Instrumentꝭ of musyke / in harpe & tymbre y ^t is armed w ^t wyre & strenges of brasse. In whiche Instrumentes though they playe hastely & swyftely they make ryght mery armonye & melodye w ^t thycke tewnes werbles & notes & begynne from bemoll & playen secretly vnder dyme sowne in the grete strenges / & torne ayene vnto the same so y ^t the grettest partye of the craft hydeth the craft / as it wolde seme as though the craft so hydde sholde be ashamed yf it were take. These men ben of e­uyll maners in her lyuynge / they paye no tythyngꝭ / they wedde lawfully / they spare not theyr alyes / but the brother wedded the brothers wyf / they ben be­sy to betraye her neyghbours & other / they bere sparthes in theyr hondes in stede of staues & fyght ayenst them y ^t trust moost to them / these men ben varyable & vnstedfast trechours & gyleful who y ^t dealeth with them nedeth more to beware of gyle than of craft of peas than of brennynge brondes / of hony than of galle / of malyce than knyght­hode / they haue suche maners y ^t they ben not stronge in warre & in batayll ne trewe in peas / they become gossybs to them that they wyll falsely betraye [...] gossybrede & holy kynrede. Eue­ryche drynketh others blood whan it is shedde / they loue somdele her noryce & her playfers whiche y ^t souke the sa­me mylke that they souked whyle they were childern. And they pursewe theyr brethern / theyr cosyns / and theyr other kyn / & despysen theyr kyn whyles they lyue / & auenge theyr deth whan they ben slayne. Soo longe hath the vsage of euyl custome endured amonge them that it hath goten the maystrye ouer them & torneth treason in to kynde so ferforth y ^t they ben traytours by natu­re. And alyens & men of straūge lon­des that dwelle amonge them folowen theyr maners that vnneth ther is none but he is besmetted with theyr treason also. Amonge them many men pyssen syttynge / & wȳmen standynge. There ben many men in that londe foule shapen in lȳmes & in body / for in theyr lȳ mes they lacke the benefyce of kynde. So that nowhere ben none better shapen than they y ^t ben there well shapen & none worse shapen than they y ^t ben euyl shapen. And skylfully nature hurte & defouled by wyckednes of lyuynge bryngeth forth suche foule gromes & euyll shapen of hem that w ^t vnlawful delynge with foule maners & euyll ly­uynge soo wyckedly defouled kynde & nature. In this londe & in Wales olde wyues & wȳmen were wonte & ben yet as men saye ofte for to scape themself in lykenes of hares for to mylke theyr neyghbours kyne & stele her mylke / & ofte greyhoundes rennen after them & poursewen them & wenen that they be hares. Also some by crafte of Nygro­mancye maken fatte swyne for to be reed of colour & selle them in market­tes and feyres. But as soone as these [Page] swyne passe ony water they torne in to theyr owne kynde whether it be strawe heye gras or turues. But these swyne may not be kept by no craft for tendure in lykenes of swyne ouer thre dayes Amonge these wondres & other take hede that in the vttermest ende of the worlde falleth oft newe meruaylles & wondres. As though kynde playde w ^t larger loue secretly & ferre in thendes. than openly & nyghe in the myddell / therfore in this ylonde ben many gry­sely wondres & meruaylles.

MAny men tellen y ^t in the north syde of Irlonde is the londe of lyf. In that ylonde noman may deye but whan they ben olde & ben vexed w ^t grete sekenes / they ben borne out in to the nexte londe & deye there. There is an other ylonde in Irlonde that no woman therin may bere a childe / but yet she may conceyue. Also ther is an ylonde in whiche no deed body may roten. In vltonia that is Vlster is an ylonde in a lake wonderly departed in tweyne In that one partye is grete dysturbaū ce & dyscomfort of fendes / & in y ^t other partye grete lykynge & comforte of holy angels. Ther is also saynt Patryks purgatorye y ^t was shewed at his pray­ers to conferme his prechynge & his lore whan he preched to mysbleued men of sorowe & payne y ^t euyll men sholde suffre for her wycked werkes. And of Ioye & of blysse y ^• good men shall res­ceyue for her holy dedes / he telleth that who y ^t suffreth the paynes of the pur­gatorye / yf it be enioyned hym for pe­naūce he shall neuer suffre the paynes of helle / but he deye fynally without repentaūce of synne / as the ensample is sette more full at this chapytres en­de. ¶Treuisa. But truly noman may be saued but yf he be very repentaunt what someuer penaūce he do / & euery man y ^t is very repentaunt at his lyues ende shall be sekerly saued / though he neuer here of saynt Patryks purgato­rye. There is an ylonde in Connacte Salo / that is in the see of Conaccia / halowed by saynt Brandan that hath no myse / there deed bodyes ben not bu­ryed / but ben kept out of the erthe & roten not. In Mamonia is a welle / who y ^• wassheth hym w ^t that water of that welle he shall waxe hore on his heed / There is an other welle in Vltoma / who someuer is wasshen therin he shal neuer wexe hore afterwarde. Ther is a welle in Mounstre or Mamoma [...]f ony man touche that welle anone shal falle grete rayne in all the prouynce & y ^• rayne shall neuer cesse tyll a preest y ^• is a clene mayden synge a masse in a chapell fast by & blesse the wa [...]er & w ^t mylke of a cowe y ^• is of one heer bel prȳ ge the welle / & so reconcyle the welle in this straūge maner. At Glyndalcan about the oratorye of saynt [...]eywyn withges berith apples as it were apple trees & ben more holsome than sauery That holy saynt brought forth these apples by prayers for to hele his childe that was seke. Ther is a lake in Vl­ster & moche fysshe therin / whiche is .xxx. myle in length and .xv. in brede The Ryuer Ban renneth out o [...] that lak [...] in to the north Occean / and men saye that this lake began in this ma­ner. There were men in that coūtr [...]e [Page] that were of euyll lyuynge / [...] cū brutis. And there was a welle in y ^• londe in grete reuerence of olde tyme / and alwaye couered / & yf it were lefte vn­couered the welle wolde ryse & drowne all the londe. And so it happed y ^t a woman wente to y ^t welle for to fetche water & hyed her fast to her childe y ^t wept in the cradell / & lefte the welle vncouered / thenne the welle sprange so fast y ^• it drowned the woman & her childe & made all the coūtree a lake & a fysshe ponde. For to preue that this is south it is a grete argument / that whan the weder is clere / fysshers of y ^t water se in the groūde vnder the water roūde tou­res & hyghe shapen as steples & chir­ches of that londe. In the north syde of Irlonde in the coūtre of Ossyryens euery .vij. yere at the prayer of an holy Abbot / tweyne y ^• ben wedded a man & a woman must nedes ben exiled & for­shapen in to lyknes of wolues & abyde out .vij. yere. And atte ende of .vij. yere yf they lyue they come home agayn & take agayn theyr owne shappe / and thenne shall other tweyne go forth in theyr stede & so forshapen for other .vij. yere. Ther is a lake in this londe yf a poole of tree be pyght & stycked therin that parte of the shaft or poole y ^• is in the erthe shall torne in to yron / & that parte y ^• abydeth in the water shall tor­ne in to stone / & the parte that abydeth aboue shall be tree in his owne kynde Also ther is a lake y ^• torneth hasell in to asshe & asshe in to hasell yf it be do­ne therin. Also in Irlonde ben thre sa­mon lepes there as samons lepe ayenst a [...]che a longe speres length. Also in [...] is a ponde there be seen [...] byrdes / y ^• byrdes ben called cer­tell [...] & come homely to mānes honde but yf men do hein wronge or harme. thry gone awaye & come not agayn / & the water there shal wexe bytter & stynke / & he y ^• dyde the wronge shall not a sterte without wretche & myschyef but yf he do amendes. ¶R. As touchynge Patryks purgatorye. Ye shall vnder­stand y ^t the seconde saynt Patryk that was abbot & not bysshop whyle he preched in Irlonde laboured & studyed for to torne thylke wycked men that lyued as bestes out of her euyll lyf for drede of paynes of helle / & for to comferme hem in good lyf / & they sayd they wol­de not torne but some of them myght knowe somwhat of the grete paynes / & also of blysse y ^• he spake of. T [...]enne saynt Patryk prayed to god almyghty therfore / & our lorde Ihu cryst appyred to saynt Patryk & toke hym a staff & ladde hȳ in to a wylde place & shewed hym there a rounde pytte y ^t was derke within & sayd / that yf a man were very repentaūt & stable of byleue & went in to this pytte & walked therin a daye & a nyght / he sholde see the sorowes & the paynes of euyll men / & the Ioye & blysse of good men. Thenne Cryst vanysshed out of Patryks syght / & saynt Patryk arered & buylded there a chir­che & put therin chanons reguler & clo­sed the pytte about with a walle / & is now in the chirche yerde atte cest ende of the chirche & fast shytte w ^t a stron­ge dore. For no man sholde nycely go in without leue of y ^• bysshop / or of the pryour of the place. Many men wente in & come out agayne in Patryks ty­me & tolde of paynes & Ioye that they had seen / & the meruaylles y ^t they sawe ben their yet wryten / & by cause therof [Page] many men torned & were conuerted to ryght byleue. Also many men went in & come neuer agayne. In kyng Ste­phens tyme kynge of Englonde a knyght that hyght Owayne wente in to saynt Patryks purgatorye & come agayne & dwelled euer after durynge his lyf in the nedes of thabbaye of Ludensis that is of thorder of Chystews & tolde many wondres y ^• he had seen in Patryks purgatorye. The place is called Patryks purgatorye & the chirche is named Reglis. Noman is enioyned for to go in to y ^t purgatorye / but coū ­seylled that he sholde not come therin but take vpon hȳ other penaūce. And yf a man haue auowed & be stable & wyll nedes go therin / he shall fyrst go to the bysshop & then̄e he shal be sente with letters to the pryour of the place & they both shall coūseyll hym to leue and yf he wyll nedes go therto he shal be in prayers & in fastynge .xv. dayes & after .xv. dayes he shall be houseld & ladde to the dore of the purgatorye w ^t processyon & letanye / & yet he shall be coūseylled to leue it / & yf he be stedfast & wyll entre / the dore shal be opened & he blessyd & go in on goddes name / & holde forth his waye / & the dore shall be fast shette tyll the next daye / and whan the tyme is the pryour shall co­me & opene the dore / & yf the man be comen he ledeth hym in to the chirche with processyon / & there he shal be .xv. dayes in pryers & fastynge.

HEre Giraldus maketh mynde that as men of this nacyon ben more angry than other men and more hasty for to take wretche whyles they ben a lyue / so sayntes and halowes of this londe ben more wretchefull than saȳtes of other londes. Clerkes of this londe ben chaste & sayen many prayers & done grete abstynence a daye / & drynketh all nyght / so is acoūted for a my­racle / that lechery regneth not there as wyne regneth / & they that ben euyll of them ben worst of all other. So good men amonge them though they ben but fewe ben good at the best / prelates of that coūtree ben full slowe in cor­reccyon of trespas / & besy in contem­placyon & not in prechynge of goddes worde. Therfore it is y ^• all the sayntꝭ of y ^t londe ben confessours & no mar­tyr amonge them / & no wonder for al the prelates of this londe ben chosen out of abbayes in to the clergye & do­ne as monkes sholde / what clerkes & prelatꝭ [...] sholde do is to them vnknowen Therfore whan it was put ay [...]nst the bysshop of Cassyll how it myght be y ^t so many sayntes ben in Irlonde & ne­uer a martyr amonge them all sythen that the men ben so shrewed & so an­gry / & the prelates so recheles & [...]owe in correccōns of trespas. The bysshop answered frowardly ynough & sayd / our men ben shrewed & angry ynough to themself / but to goddes seruauntes they leye neuer honde but do hem grete reuerence & worshyp / but Englyssh men come in to this londe y ^• can make martyrs / and were wonte to vse that crafte. ¶R. The bysshop sayd so bycause y ^• kyng Henry the seconde was tho newe comen in to Irlonde fresshly after the martyrdome of saynt Tho­mas of Caūterbury. ¶Gir. In this [Page] [...] in Wales and in Scotlonde ben be [...]es & s [...]aues with croked hedes and other suche thynges for relyques in grete reuerence & worshyp / so that men of this londe droden more for to swere vp on one of thylke belles & golde staues than vppon the gospell. The chyef of all suche relyques is holden Ihus staff that is at Deuelyn / with the whiche staff they saye that the fyrst saynt Pa­tryk drofe the wormes out of Irlonde ¶Augꝭ. de ci. dei ca. vij. Yf men axe how it may be y ^t dyuerse maner bestes & of dyuerse kynde that ben kyndly goten bytwene male & female come and ben in ylondes after Noes flood. Men supposen that suche beestes swāme in to ylondes about / and fyrst to the next & so forth in to other. Or els men sayllynge in to ylondes brought with hem suche beestes for loue of huntynge / or angels at god almyghtyes cōmaūde­ment brought suche beestes in to ylon­des about / or the erthe brought them forth fyrst & fulfylled tho goddes commaūdement / that cōmaūded the erthe to brynge forth gras & quycke beestes.