[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 yéere of our Lord 580, in the fiftéenth
yéere of the emperour Iustinian, and in the 37 yéere of the reigne of
Childerike king of the Frenchmen. This Malgo is reported to haue béene
[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 yéeres 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 yéeres.]
It séemeth 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 kéeping 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.
From Cuneglasus he commeth to the foresaid Maglocunus, whome he nameth
the dragon of the Iles, and the expeller of manie tyrants, not onelie
out of their kingdoms, but also out of life, the last of whom he
treateth (as he himselfe saith) but the first in all mischéefe &
euill, greater than manie in power, and likewise in malice: verie
liberall in giuing, but more plentifull in sinne, strong and valiant
in arms, but stronger in destruction of his owne soule. And so
procéeding, chargeth him with the sinne of the Sodomits, & sore
blameth him, for that where it had pleased God to make him higher than
all other dukes of Britaine in kingdome and degrée, he did not shew
himselfe better, but contrarilie far woorse than they both in maners
and conditions. He declareth also a little after, that this Maglocune
in his yoong yéeres slue in battell his vncle being king, with the
most valiant souldiers in maner that he had. Also that where the
said Maglocune tooke vpon him the profession of a moonke, he after
renounced the same, and became a woorsse liuer than euer he was
before, abandoning his wife, and kéeping his brothers sonnes wife,
while hir husband yet liued.
Thus by that which Gyldas writeth of the kings and rulers of the
Britains, which liued in his daies, ye may perceiue that they were
giuen to all manner of wickednesse, and namelie to ciuill dissention,
rapine, adulterie, and fornication: so that it may be thought, that
GOD stirred vp the Saxons to be a scourge to them, and to worke his
iust vengeance vpon them for their wickednesses and abhominable
offenses dailie c[=o]mitted against his diuine maiestie, so that we
find recorded by writers, how that the Saxons in diuers conflicts
against the Britains had the better, and also tooke from them diuers
townes, as alreadie partly hath beene and also hereafter shall be
shewed.
It is furthermore to be remembred, that about the 14 yeere of the
[Sidenote: 559. _Hen Hunt._]
Britaine king Conanus his reigne, which was about the end of the
yere of Christ 559, Kenrike king of the Westsaxons, departed this
life, after he had reigned xxv. yéeres complet. This Kenrike was a
victorious prince, and fought diuers battels against the Britains. In
the 18 yeere of his reigne which was the 551 of Christ, we find that
he fought against them, being come at that time vnto Salisburie, and
after great slaughter made on both parts, at length the victorie
remained with the Saxons, and the Britains were chased. Againe in the
two and twentith yéere of his reigne, and 555 yéere of Christ, the
same Kenrike and his sonne Cheuling fought with a great power of
Britains at Branburie.
The Britains were diuided into nine companies, three in the fore ward,
thrée in the battell, and thrée in the rere ward, with their horssemen
and archers, after the maner of the Romans. The Saxons being ranged in
one entire battell, valiantlie assailed them, and notwithstanding the
shot of the Britains, yet they brought the matter to the triall
of handblowes, till at length by the comming on of the night, the
victorie remained doubtfull: and no maruell is to be made therof
(saith Henrie archdeacon of Huntington) sith the Saxons were men of
huge stature, great force & valiant courage. The same yéere that
Kenrike deceassed, Ida the king of Northumberland also died: he was
(as ye haue heard) a right valiant prince, & inlarged the dominion of
the Saxons greatlie, he ouercame Loth king of the Picts in battell,
and Corran king of Scots.
[Sidenote: 560. _Hen Hunt._]
Also about the yéere of Christ 560, Conanus (as yet gouerning the
Britains) Irmenrike king of Kent departed this life, of whome ye haue
heard before, & Ethelbert his sonne succéeded him 52 yéeres. Then
after that the foresaid thrée princes were dead (as before ye
haue heard) they had that succéeded them in their estates as here
followeth. After Kenrike, his sonne Ceaulinus or Cheuling succéeded in
gouernement of the Westsaxons: and after Ida, one Ella or Alla reigned
in Northumberland: after Irmenrike followed his sonne Ethelbert in
rule ouer the Kentish Saxons.
This Ethelbert, in processe of time grew to be a mightie prince, but
yet in the begining of his reigne he had but sorie successe against
some of his enimies: for hauing to doo with the foresaid Cheuling
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._ Aliàs Wiphanduae.]
king of Westsaxons, he was of him ouercome in battell at Wilbasdowne,
where he lost two of his dukes or cheefe capteins, beside other
people. This was the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons,
one against another within this land, after their first comming into
the same. And this chanced in the yere of our Lord 567, being the
second yéere of the emperour Iustinus.
[Sidenote: 570. CUTHA. Aileburie.]
About the yéere 570, Cutha the brother of king Cheuling fought with
the Britains at Bedford, vanquished them, & tooke from them 4 townes,
[Sidenote: 581.]
Liganbrough, Eglesbrough or Ailesburie, Besington, and Euesham.
Also about the yéere of our Lord 581, the foresaid king Cheuling
incountered with the Britains at a place called Diorth, and obteining
the vpper hand, tooke from them the cities of Bath, Glocester, and
Cirencester. At this battell fought at Diorth, were present thrée
kings of the Britains, whose names were these: Coinmagill, Candidan,
and Farimnagill, which were slaine there through the permission of
almightie God as then refusing his people, the which through their
heinous sinnes and great wickednesses, had most gréeuouslie offended
his high and diuine maiestie, as by Gyldas it may euidentlie appeare.
For they had declined from the lawes of the Lord, and were become
abhominable in his sight, euen from the prince to the poore man, from
the priest to the Leuit, so that not one estate among them walked
vprightlie, but contrarie to dutie was gone astray, by reason whereof
the righteous God had giuen them ouer as a prey to their enimies.
[Sidenote: His brother as _Matt. West._ saith.]
Also in the latter end of Malgos daies or about the first beginning of
the reigne of his successor Careticus, Cheuling and his sonne Cutwine
fought with the Britains at a place called Fechanley or Fedanley,
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
or (as some bookes haue) Frithenlie, where Cutwine was slaine, & the
Englishmen chased: but yet Cheuling repairing his armie, wan the
victorie, and chasing the Britains, tooke from them manie countries,
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
and wan great riches by the spoile. But Matth. West. saith, that
the victorie aboad with the Britains, and that the Saxons were chased
quite out of the field. The Scotish writers record, that their king
Aidan (who is noted to haue béene the 49 successiuelie possessing the
regiment of that land, partlie with griefe of hart for the death of
Columba a graue and wise gentleman, whome he tenderlie loued, and
partlie with age [for he was growne horieheaded, and had reigned 34
yéeres] ended his life) was there in aid of the Britains, and Brudeus
king of the Picts (betwixt whom and the said Aidan a sore battell was
fought) in aid of the Saxons: but the same writers name the place
Deglaston, where this battell was made, and the forces of both sides
by a sharpe incounter tried.
* * * * *
_The begining of the kingdome of Mercia, the bounds of the same, the
heptarchie or seuen regiments of the Saxons, how they grew to that
perfection, and by whom they were reduced and drawne into a monarchie;
Careticus is created king of Britaine, the Saxons take occasion by
the ciuill dissentions of the Britains to make a full conquest of the
land, they procure forren power to further them in their enterprise,
Gurmundus king of the Africans arriueth in Britaine, the British king
is driuen to his hard shifts, the politike practise of Gurmundus in
taking Chichester & setting the towne on fire, he deliuereth the whole
land in possession to the Saxons, the English and Saxon kings put
Careticus to flight, the Britains haue onelie three prouinces left
of all their countrie which before they inhabited, their religion,
church, and commonwealth is in decaie, they are gouerned by three
kings, Cheulings death is conspired of his owne subiects._