Raphael Holinshed - Chronicles 1 (of 6): The Historie of England 5 (of 8)
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Raphael Holinshed >> Chronicles 1 (of 6): The Historie of England 5 (of 8)
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[Sidenote: Gawaine where he is buried.]
Heere is also to be noted, that where the British historie
declareth, that Gawaine or Gallowine being slaine in the battell
fought betwixt Arthur and Mordred in Kent, was buried at Douer, so
that his bones remained there to be shewed a long time after: yet by
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm. lib. 3. de regib._]
that which the foresaid William Malmesburie writeth in the third
booke of his volume intituled "De regibus Anglorum," the contrarie
maie seeme true: his woords are these. "Then (saith he) in the
prouince of Wales, which is called Rosse, the sepulture of Gallowine
was found, who was nephue to Arthur by his sister, not going out of
kind from so woorthie an vncle. He reigned in that part of Britaine
which vnto this day is called Walwichia, a knight for his high
prowesse most highlie renowmed, but expelled out of his kingdome by
the brother and nephue of Hengist, of whome in the first booke we haue
made mention, first requiting his banishment with great detriment and
losse to those his enimies, wherein he was partaker by iust desert
of his vncles woorthie praise, for that he staied (for a great manie
yeeres) the destruction of his countrie, which was now running
headlong into vtter ruine and decaie. But Arthurs graue no where
appeereth: yet the others toome (as I haue said) was found in the
daies of William the conqueror, king of England, vpon the sea side,
and conteined in length foureteene foot, where he was (as some say)
wounded by his enimies, and cast vp by shipwracke. But other
write, that he was slaine at a publike feast or banket by his owne
countriemen." Thus saith William Malmesburie.
¶ But heere you must consider, that the said Malmesburie departed this
life about the beginning of the reigne of king Henrie the second,
certeine yeers before the bones of Arthur were found (as ye haue
heard.) But omitting this point as needles to be controuerssed, &
letting all dissonant opinions of writers passe, as a matter of no
such moment that we should need to sticke therein as in a glewpot;
we will proceed in the residue of such collections as we find
necessarilie pertinent to the continuation of this historie; and now
we will say somewhat of queene Guenhera or Guenouer, the wife of the
foresaid king Arthur.
Some iudge that she tooke hir name of hir excellent beautie, bicause
Guinne or Guenne in the Welsh toong signifieth faire, so that she was
named Guennere or rather Guenlhean, euen (as you would say) the faire
or beautifull Elenor or Helen. She was brought vp in the house of one
Cador earle of Cornewall before Arthur maried hir: and as it appeareth
by writers, she was euill reported of, as noted of incontinencie &
breach of faith to hir husband, in maner as for the more part women of
excellent beautie hardlie escape the venemous blast of euill toongs,
and the sharpe assaults of the followers of Venus. The British
historie affirmeth, that she did not onelie abuse hir selfe by
vnlawfull companie with Mordred, but that also in Arthurs absence she
consented to take him to husband. It is likewise found recorded by
an old writer, that Arthur besieged on a time the marishes neere to
Glastenburie, for displeasure that he bare to a certeine lord called
Melua, who had rauished Gueneuer, and led hir into those marishes, and
there did keepe hir. Hir corps notwithstanding (as before is recited)
was interred togither with Arthurs, so that it is thought she liued
not long after his deceasse.
Arthur had two wiues (as Gyraldus Cambrensis affirmeth) of which the
latter (saith he) was buried with him, and hir bones found with his in
one sepulchre, but yet so diuided, that two parts of the toome towards
the head were appointed to receiue the bones of the man, and the third
part towards the feet conteined the womans bones, apart by themselues.
Here is to be remembred, that Hector Boetius writeth otherwise of the
death of Arthur than before in this booke is mentioned, & also that
Gueneuer being taking prisoner by the Picts, was conueied into
Scotland, where finallie she died, and was there buried in Angus, as
in the Scotish chronicles further appeareth. And this may be true, if
he had three sundrie wiues, each of them bearing the name of
Gueneuer, as sir Iohn Price dooth auouch that he had. Now bicause
of contrarietie in writers touching the great acts atchiued by this
Arthur, and also for that some difference there is amongst them, about
the time in which he should reigne, manie haue doubted of the whole
historie which of him is written (as before ye haue heard.) ¶ But
others there be of a constant beleefe, who hold it for a grounded
truth, that such a prince there was; and among all other a late
[Sidenote: _Dauid Pow. pag. 238, 239_.]
writer, who falling into necessarie mention of prince Arthur,
frameth a speech apologeticall in his and their behalfe that were
princes of the British bloud, discharging a short but yet a sharpe
inuectiue against William Paruus, Polydor Virgil, and their complices,
whom he accuseth of lieng toongs, enuious detraction, malicious
slander, reprochfull and venemous language, wilfull ignorance, dogged
enuie, and cankerd minds; for that they speake vnreuerentlie and
contrarie to the knowne truth concerning those thrisenoble princes.
Which defensitiue he would not haue deposed, but that he takes the
monuments of their memories for vndoubted verities.
The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agree, that
he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian, about the fifteenth
yeere of whose reigne he died, which was in the yeere of our Lord
[Sidenote: 542.]
542, as diuerse doo affirme. Howbeit some write farther from all
likelihood, that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno, who began
[Sidenote: _Aurea historia. I. Leland_.]
his reigne about the yeere of our Lord 474. The writer of the
booke intituled "Aurea historia" affirmeth, that in the tenth yeere
of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons, Arthur the warriour rose against the
Britains. Also Diouionensis writeth, that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes
with Arthur, if he were ouercome in one moneth, he arose in an other
moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before. At length
Arthur wearied with irkesomnes, after the twelfth yeere of the comming
of Cerdicus, gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued,
[Sidenote: Westsaxon.]
the shires of Southampton and Somerset, the which countries
Cerdicius named Westsaxon. This Cerdicius or Cerdicius came into
Britaine about the yeere of our Lord 495. In the 24 yere after his
comming hither, that is to say, about the yeere of your Lord 519, he
began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons, and gouerned them as king by the
space of 15 yeeres, as before ye haue heard. But to follow the course
of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue begun, we must allow of
their accounts herein as in other places, and so proceed.
* * * * *
_The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian
heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom
redressed: Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome, ciuill warre
about succession to the crowne, the chalengers are pursued and
slaine, Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman, a bitter and
reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his
time, and namelie against Constantine, Conan that slue Constantine
reigneth in Britaine, his vertues and vices, his two yeeres regiment,
the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas uttered against Conan, discouering
the course of his life, and a secret prophesie of his death._
THE XV CHAPTER.
In this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore &
continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons (as before ye haue
heard) the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where
the Saxons got habitations, but also among the Britains the right
[Sidenote: The heresie of the Pelagians reuiued, _Hist. Mag._]
faith was brought into danger, by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie,
[Sidenote: Dubritius & Dauid lerned bishops.]
which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons. But
Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe, and after archbishop of
Caerleon Arwiske, and his successour Dauid, with other learned men
earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause,
to the confuting of those errors, and restablishing of the truth.
[Sidenote: CONSTANTINE.]
After the death of Arthur, his coosine Constantine the sonne
[Sidenote: 542.]
of Cador, duke or earle of Cornewall began his reigne ouer the
Britains, in the yere of our Lord 542, which was about the 15 yeere of
the emperour Iustinianus almost ended, the 29 of Childebert king
of France, and the first yeere well neere complet of the reigne of
[Sidenote: _Galfrid_. _Matth. West._]
Totilas king of the Goths in Italie. Arthur when he perceiued that
he shuld die, ordeined this Constantine to succeed him, and so by the
consent of the more part of the Britains he was crowned king: but the
sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat, as they that claimed the rule
of the land by iust title and claime of inheritance to them from their
[Sidenote: Ciuill warre.]
father descended. Herevpon followed ciuill warre, so that diuers
battels were striken betweene them and in the end the two brethren
were constreined to withdraw for refuge, the one to London, and the
other to Winchester: but Constantine pursuing them, first came to
Winchester, and by force entered the citie, and slue the one brother
that was fled thither within the church of saint Amphibalus: and after
comming to London, entered that citie also, and finding the other
brother within a church there, slue him in like maner as he had doone
the other. And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries, he thought to
haue purchased to himselfe safetie: but shortlie after, his owne
[Sidenote: Aurelius Conanus. Constantine slaine.]
kinsman, one Aurelius Conanus arrered warre against him, who ioining
with him in battell slue him in the field, after he had reigned foure
yeeres. His bodie was conueied to Stonheng, and there buried beside
[Sidenote: _Gyldas_.]
his ancestour Vter Pendragon. Of this Constantine that seemeth
to be ment, which Gyldas writeth in his booke intituled "De excidio
Britanniae," where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his
time, he writeth thus: "Britaine hath kings, but the same be tyrants;
iudges it hath, but they be wicked, oftentimes peeling and harming the
innocent people, reuenging and defending, but whom? such as be guiltie
persons and robbers; hauing manie wiues, but yet breaking wedlocke;
oftentimes swearing, and yet forswearing themselues; vowing, and for
the more part lieng; warring, but mainteining ciuill & vniust warres;
pursuing indeed theeues that are abroad in the countrie, and yet not
onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them, but also
highlie rewarding them: giuing almesse largelie, but on the other part
heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes; sitting in the seat of sentence,
but seldome seeking the rule of righteous iudgement; despising the
innocent and humble persons, and exalting so farre as in them lieth,
euen vp to the heauens, most bloudie and proud murtherers, theeues and
adulterers, yea the verie professed enimies of God; if he would so
permit: keeping manie in prison, whome they oppresse, in loding them
with irons, through craft rather to serue their owne purpose, than for
anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned: taking solemne oths before
the altars, and shortlie after, despising the same altars as vile and
filthie stones.
"Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe
of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant, who this yeare, after
the receiuing of his dreadfull oth, whereby he bound himselfe that in
no wise he should hurt his subjects (God first, and then his oth,
with the companie of saints, and his mother being there present)
did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers, as the
church, and their carnall mother, vnder the coule of the holie abbat,
deuoure with sword and speare in stead of teeth, the tender sides,
yea and the entrailes of two children of noble and kinglie race, and
likewise of their two gouernours, yea and that (as I said) amongest
the sacred altars: the armies of which persons so slaine, not
stretched foorth to defend themselues with weapons (the which few in
those daies handled more valiantlie than they) but stretched foorth (I
saie) to God and to his altar in the day of iudgement, shall set vp
the reuerent ensignes of their patience and faith at the gates of the
citie of Christ, which so haue couered the seat of the celestiall
sacrifice, as it were with the red mantle of their cluttered bloud.
"These things he did not after anie good deeds doone by him deseruing
praise: for manie yeares before, ouercome with the often and
changeable filths of adulterie, & forsaking his lawfull wife contrarie
to the lawes of God, &c: he now brought foorth this crime of quelling
his owne kinsmen, and violating the church, but neither being loosed
from the snares of his former euills, he increaseth the new with the
old." ¶ Thus in effect hath Gyldas written of this Constantine, with
more: for turning his tale to him, he reproueth him of his faults, and
counselleth him to repent.
[Sidenote: CONANUS.]
After that Aurelius Conanus had slaine the foresad Constantine, as
in the British histories is mentioned, the same Conan was made king
[Sidenote: 546.]
of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 546, in the 20 yeare of
Iustinianus, and in the 33 of the reigne of Childebert king of the
Frenchmen. This Aurelius Conanus (as is recorded by some writers) was
of a noble heart, free and liberall, but giuen much to the maintenance
of strife and discord amongst his people, light of credit, and namelie
had an open eare to receiue and heare the reports of such as accused
other. Moreouer he was noted of crueltie, as he that tooke his vncle,
who of right should haue beene king, and kept him in prison, and not
so satisfied slue in tyrannous maner the two sons of his said vncle:
But God would not suffer him long to inioy the rule of the land in
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ writeth that he reigned 30. yeares.]
such vniust dealing, for he died after he had reigned the space of two
yeares, and left a sonne behind him called Vortiporus, which succeeded
him in the kingdome, as authors doo record. Of this Aurelius Conanus
Gyldas writeth, calling vnto him after he had made an end with his
predecessor Constantine, saieng in this wise: "And thou lions whelpe,
as saith the prophet, Aurelius Conanus what doost thou? Art thou
not swallowed vp in the filthie mire of murthering thy kinsmen, of
committing fornications and adulteries like to the other before
mentioned, if not more deadlie, as it were with the waues and surges
of the drenching seas ouerwhelming thee with hir vnmercifull rage?
Dooest thou not in hating the peace of thy countrie as a deadlie
serpent, and thirsting after ciuill wars and spoiles (oftentimes
vniustlie gotten) shut vp against thy soule the gates of celestiall
peace and refreshment? Thou being left alone as a withering tree in
the middle of a field, call to remembrance (I praie thee) the vaine
youthfull fantasie and ouertimelie death of thy fathers and thy
brethren. Shalt thou being set apart, and chosen foorth of all thy
linage for thy godlie deserts, be reserued to liue an hundred yeares,
or remaine on earth till thou be as old as Methusalem? No no." And
after these reprehensions, with further threatnings of Gods vengeance,
he exhorted him to amendment of life, and so proceedeth to talke
with Vortiporus, whome he nameth the king, or rather the tyrant of
Southwales, as after shall be rehearsed.
* * * * *
_The beginning of the kingdome of Brenitia, of whome the king of
Kent, Mertia, and west Saxons descended, Ida the Saxon commended, the
originall of the kingdome of Deira, the circuit and bounds therof, of
Ella the gouernour of the same, when the partition of the kingdome
of Northumberland chanced; Vortiporus reigneth ouer the Britains, he
vanquisheth the Saxons; Gyldas sharplie reprooueth Vortiporus for
manie greeuous offenses, and exhorteth him to amendement._
THE XVJ. CHAPTER.
[Sidenote: IDA. 547.]
In the yeare of the Lord 547, which was about the first yeare of
the reigne of Aurelius Conanus, the kingdome of Brenitia began vnder a
Saxon ruler there called Ida, & descended of Woden. For where the said
Woden had three sonnes, Weldecius, Withlegris, and Beldecius; of
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._ The kingdom of Brenitia began.]
the first, the kings of Kent were lineallie extracted: of the second,
the kings of Mertia: and of the third sonne came the kings of
Westsaxon, and also of him was this Ida descended, being the ninth in
lineall succession from the said Beldecius and the tenth from Woden.
The same Ida was vndoubtedlie a right noble personage, and changed
first that dukedome into a kingdome; where before that time the Saxons
that ruled there, were subiects vnto the kings of Kent. Whether he
tooke vpon him of his owne accord to vsurpe the kinglie title and
roiall authoritie, or whether that the same was giuen to him by
consent of other, the certeintie appeareth not. But sure it is,
that he being a woorthie prince, did not degenerate from his noble
ancestors inuincible in warre abroad and at home, qualifieng his
kinglie seueritie with a naturall kind of courteous humanitie. The
bounds of his kingdome called (as is said) Brenitia, began in the
south at the riuer of Tine, and ended in the north at the Forth in
Scotland, in the British toong called Werd.
[Sidenote: ELLA 561. The beginning of the kingdom of Deria.]
About the same time, or rather about 14 yeares after, one Ella a
Saxon also reigned as king in Deira, which kingdome began at the said
riuer of Tine in the north, & ended at the riuer of Humber toward the
south. These two kingdomes were sometime gouerned by two seuerall
kings, and afterwards at other times they were ioined in one, and
gouerned by one onelie king, and named the kingdome of Northumberland,
which in processe of time was much inlarged, so that it included the
shires of Yorke, Notingham, Darbie, Lancaster, the bishoprike of
Durham, Copland, and other countries betwixt the east and the west
[Sidenote: The riuer of Mersie.]
seas, euen vnto the riuer of Mersie. The foresaid Ella was sonne
to Iffus, being descended from Woden, as the 12 in succession from
him, though not by right line as William Malmesburie hath noted. Ida
(as the same Malmesburie dooth testifie) reigned 14 yeares.
Now Ella who was successor to Ida (as he saith) reigned thirtie
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
yeares, and verie valiantlie inlarged his kingdome. But one author
writeth how Ida reigned but 12 yeares, and that he builded the castell
of Bamburge, first fensing it with pales, and after with a wall of
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
stone. The same Ida had by his wife six sonnes, begotten in lawfull
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
bed, Ada, Ebric, Theodoric, Athelric, Osmer, and Theofred.
Moreouer he begat of certeine concubines (which he kept) six bastard
sonnes, Oga, Aleric, Ettha, Osbale, Segor, and Segother. These came
altogither into this land, and arriued at Flemesburke with fortie
ships, as Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis hath recorded. The partition of
the kingdome of Northumberland chanced after the deceasse of Ida, as
the same author signifieth: for Ada the sonne of the foresaid Ida
succeeded his father in the kingdome of Brenitia, reigning therein
seuen yeares: and Ella the sonne of Histria, a most valiant duke,
began to gouerne Deira, as both the said Matth. Westm. and others doo
affirme.
[Sidenote: VORTIPORUS. _Matt. West._ noteth 578.]
Vortiporus the sonne of Aurelius Conanus succeeded his father, and
began to reigne ouer the Britains, in the yeere of our Lord 576, in
the 11, yeare of the emperour Flauius Anicius Iustinus, in the fourth
yeare of the reigne of Childeric king of France, and in the fourth
yeare of Clephis the Gothish king in Italie. This Vortiporus
vanquished the Saxons in batttell, as the British histories make
mention, and valiantlie defended his land and subiects the Britains,
from the danger of them and other their allies. In the time of this
kings reigne, the foresaid Ella began to rule in the south part of
the kingdome of Northumberland called Deira, as before is mentioned,
according to the account of some authors, who also take this
Vortiporus to begin his reigne in the yeare 548. After that Vortiporus
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._ noteth 3 yeares.]
had ruled the Britans the space of 4 yeares, he departed this
life, and left no issue behind him to succeed him in the kingdom.
Against this Vortiporus Gyldas also whetting his toong, beginneth with
him thus: "And why standest thou as one starke amazed? Thou (I say)
Vortiporus the tyrant of Southwales, like to the panther in maner and
wickednesse diuerslie spotted as it were with manie colors, with thy
hoarie head in thy throne, full of deceits, crafts and wiles, and
defiled euen from the lowest part of thy bodie to the crowne of thy
head, with diuers & sundrie murthers committed on thine owne kin, and
filthie adulteries, thus proouing a naughtie sonne of a good king, as
Manasses was to Ezechias. How chanceth it that the violent streames
of sinnes which thou swallowest vp like pleasant wine, or rather
art deuoured of them, (the end of thy life by little and little now
drawing neere) can not yet satisfie the? What meanest thou that with
fornication of all euills, as it were the full heape, thine owne wife
being put away, thou by hir honest death dooest oppresse thy soule
with a certeine burthen that can not be auoided, of thine vnshamefast
daughter? Consume not (I pray thee) the residue of thy daies to the
offense of God, &c." These and the like woords vttered he, exhorting
him to repentance, with admonitions taken out of the scriptures both
for his comfort and warning.
¶ If the circumstance of this that Gyldas writeth of Vortiporus be
marked, it may be perceiued, that Geffrey of Monmouth, and also
Matthew of Westminster, the author of the floures of histories, are
deceiued, in that they take him to be the sonne of Aurelius Conanus:
and rather it may be gathered, that not onlie the same Aurelius
Conanus and Vortiporus, but also Constantinus, yea & Cuneglasus, and
Maglocunus, of the which he also intreateth (as partlie shall be
hereafter touched) liued and reigned all at one time in seuerall parts
of this Ile, and not as monarchs of the whole British nation, but as
rulers each of them in his quarter, after the maner as the state of
Ireland hath beene in times past before the countrie came vnder the
English subiection, if my coniecture herein doo not deceiue me.
* * * * *
_Malgo reigneth ouer the Britains, the noble qualities wherewith he
was beautified by his filthie sinnes are blemished, Gyldas reproueth
Cuneglasus for making warre against God and man, and this Malgo for
his manifold offenses, the vile iniquities wherevnto the British
rulers were inclined, the valiantnesse of Kenrike king of the
Westsaxons, his victories against diuers people his enimies,
succession in the gouemment of the Westsaxons, Northumberland, and
Kentish Saxons; the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons
in this Iland, Cheuling with his Westsaxons encounter with the
Britains and get the vpper hand, three kings of the Britains slaine,
and their people spoiled of their lands, goods and liues._
THE XVIJ. CHAPTER.
[Sidenote: MALGO. 580. _Matth. West._ hath noted 581.]
After the deceasse of Vortiporus, Malgo the nephue of Aurelius
Conanus (as some write) was made king of Britaine, & began his reigne
ouer the Britaines, in the yeere of our Lord 580, in the fifteenth
yeere of the emperour Iustinian, and in the 37 yeere of the reigne of
Childerike king of the Frenchmen. This Malgo is reported to haue beene
[Sidenote: _Gal. Mon._]
the comeliest gentleman in beautie and shape of personage that was
to be found in those daies amongst all the Britains, and therewith of
a bold and hardie courage. He manfullie defended the country which he
had in gouernance from the malice of the Saxons, and subdued the out
Iles, as Orkenie and others. But notwithstanding the noble qualities
with the which his person was adorned, yet he spotted them all with
the filthie sinne of Sodomie, so that he fell into the hatred of
almightie God, and being pursued of the Saxons, receiued manie
ouerthrowes at their hands, as by the report of the English writers is
gathered more at large. Finallie, when he had reigned fiue yeeres and
od moneths, he departed this life.
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._ counteth not past fiue yeres to his reigne
through other affirme that he reigned 35 yeeres.]
It seemeth that this Malgo is named by Gyldas, Maglocunus, the
which Gyldas (before he speaketh of him) inueieth against one
Cuneglasus, whome he reprooueth, for that he warred both against God
and man: against God with grieuous sinnes, as namelie adulterie, in
forsaking the companie of his lawfull wife, and keeping to concubine
a sister of hirs, that had professed chastitie: & against man with
materiall armor and weapons, which he vsed to the destruction of his
owne countrimen, with whom he kept warres, and not against the enimies
of the common wealth.
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