Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 2

what they might in the highest degrée: as
shall be declared in the vnfortunate affaires of vngratious Egelred or
Etheldred, the sonne of king Edgar, and of his last wife queene Alfred,
who was ordeined king in place of his brother Edward, after the same
Edward was dispatched out of the waie, and began his reigne ouer this
[Sidenote: 979. _Simon Dun._] realme of England, in the yéere of our
Lord 979, which was in the seuenth yéere of the emperor Otho the

second, in the 24 of Lothaire K. of France, and about the second or
third yeere of Kenneth the third [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] of that name
king of Scotland.
This Egelred or Etheldred was the 30 in number from Cerdicus the first
king of the Westsaxons: through his negligent gouernment, the state of
the commonwealth fell into such decaie (as writers doo report) that
vnder him it may be said, how the kingdome was come to the vttermost
point or period of old and féeble age, which is the next degrée to the
graue. For wheras, whilest the realme was diuided at the first by the
Saxons into sundrie dominions, it grew at length (as it were increasing
from youthfull yeeres) to one absolute monarchie, which passed vnder
the late remembred princes, Egbert, Adelstane, Edgar, and others, so
that in their daies it might be said, how it was growne to mans state, but
now vnder this Egelred, through famine, pestilence, and warres, the
state thereof was so shaken, turned vpside downe, and weakened on ech
part, that rightlie might the season be likened vnto the old broken
yéeres of mans life, which through féeblenesse is not able to helpe it
selfe. Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie was thought to haue
foreséene this thing, and therfore refused to annoint Egelred king,
which by the murther of his brother should atteine to the gouernment:
but at length he was compelled vnto it, and so he consecrated him at
Kingston vpon Thames, as the maner then was, on the 24 day of Aprill,
assisted by Oswald archbishop of Yorke, and ten other bishops.
[Sidenote: _Will. Malmes._] But (as hath béene reported) Dunstane
then said that the English people should suffer condigne punishment
generallie, with losse of ancient liberties, which before that time they
had inioied. Dunstane also long before prophesied of the slouthfulnesse
that should remaine in this Egelred. For at what time he ministred the
sacrament of baptisme to him; shortlie after he came into this world, he
defiled the font with the ordure of his wombe (as hath beene said:)
whervpon Dunstane being troubled in mind, "By the Lord (saith he)
and his blessed mother, this child shall prooue to be a slouthfull
person." It hath beene written also, that when he was but ten yeeres of
age, and heard that his brother Edward was slaine, he so offended his
mother with wéeping, bicause she could not still him, that hauing no

rod at hand, she tooke tapers or sizes that stood before hir, and beat him
so sore with them, that she had almost killed him, whereby he could
neuer after abide to haue anie such candels lighted before him.
[Sidenote: Polydor.] This Egelred (as writers say) was nothing giuen to
warlike enterprises, but was slouthfull, a louer of idlenesse, and
delighting in riotous lusts, which being knowne to all men, caused him
to be euill spoken of amongst his owne people, and nothing feared
amongst strangers. Heerevpon the Danes that exercised rouing on the
seas, began to conceiue a boldnesse of courage to disquiet and molest
the sea-coasts of the realme, in so much that in the second yéere of
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._ 980.] this Egelreds reigne, they came with
seuen ships on the English coasts [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] of Kent,
and spoiled the Ile of Tenet, the towne of Southampton, and in the
yeere following they destroied S. Petroks abbeie in Cornwall, Porthland
in Deuonshire, and diuerse other places by the sea side, speciallie in
Deuonshire & Cornwall. Also a great part of Cheshire was destroied by
pirats of Norway.
[Sidenote: 982.] The same yéere by casualtie of fire, a great part of the
citie [Sidenote: 983. Alfer or Elfer duke of Mercia departed this life.] of
London was burnt. In the yeere of our Lord 983, Alfer duke of Mercia
departed this life, who was coosen to king Edgar, & his [Sidenote:
Alfrike or Elfrike duke of Mercia. Fabian. _Wil. Malm._ _Matt.
West._] sonne Alfrike tooke vpon him the rule of that dukedome, and
within thrée yéeres after was banished the land. About the eight yéere
of his reigne, Egelred maried one Elgina or Ethelgina, daughter of earle
Egbert. In the ninth yeere of his reigne, vpon occasion of strife
betwéene him and the bishop of