[Sidenote: The kingdome of the east Angles began not till Aurelius
Conanus reigned.]
[Sidenote: 561.]
Moreouer, in the daies of the afore-named Auralius Ambrosius, about
the yeare of our Lord 561, the kingdome of the east Angles began vnder
a Saxon named Uffa. This same kingdome conteined Northfolke and
Suffolke, hauing on the east and north parts the sea, on the northwest
Cambridgeshire, and on the west saint Edmunds ditch with a part of
Hertfordshire, and on the southside lieth Essex. At the first it was
called Vffines dominion, and the kings that reigned, or the people
that inhabited there, were at the first named Vffines, but at length
they were called east Angles.
[Sidenote: CERDIC.]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: 495.]
Fvrthermore, about the yeare of our Lord 495, and in the eight yeare
after that Hengist was dead, one Cerdicus and his sonne Kenricus came
out of Gerrmanie with fiue ships, and landed at a place called
Cerdicshore, which as some thinke is called Yermouth in Northfolke. He
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Polychron._]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
was at the first receiued with battell by the Britains, but being an
old skilfull warriour, he easilie beate backe and repelled the
inconstant multitude of his enimies, and caused them to flée: by which
good successe he procured both vndoubted assurance to himselfe for the
time to come, and to the inhabitants good and perfect quietnes. For
they thinking good neuer after to prouoke him more by resistance,
submitted themselues to his pleasure: but yet did not he then giue
himselfe to slouthfull rest, but rather extending his often atchiued
victories on ech side, in the 24 yeare after his comming into this
land, he obteined the rule of the west parts thereof, and gouerned
there as king, so that the kingdome of the west Saxons began vnder the
said Cerdicus in the 519 of Christ, as after shall be shewed.
[Sidenote: 529.]
¶ Thus ye maie sée, that Aurelius Ambrosius did succéed Vortigerne,
and reigned in the time supposed by the British histories, as before
is alledged, the land euen in his daies was full of trouble, and the
old inhabitants the Britains sore vexed by the Saxons that entred the
same, so that the Britains were dailie hampered, and brought vnder
subiection to the valiant Saxons, or else driuen to remooue further
off, and to giue place to the victors. But now to procéed with the
succession of the British kings, as in their histories we find them
registred, which I deliuer such as I find, but not such as I doo wish,
being written with no such colour of credit as we maie safelie put
foorth the same for an vndoubted truth.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ noteth. 500.]
After that Aurelius Ambrosius was dead, his brother Vter Pendragon
(whome some call Aurelius Vterius Ambrosianus) was made king in the
yeare of our Lord 500, in the seuenth yeare of the emperour
Anastasius, and in the sixtéenth yeare of Clodoueus king of the
Frenchmen. The cause why he was surnamed Pendragon, was, for that
Merline the great prophet likened him to a dragons head, that at the
time of his natiuitie maruelouslie appeared in the firmament at the
corner of a blasing star, as is reported. But others supposed he was
so called of his wisedome and serpentine subtiltie, or for that he
gaue the dragons head in his banner. This Vter, hearing that the
Saxons with their capteins Occa or Otta the sonne of Hengist, and his
brother Osca had besieged the citie of Yorke, hasted thither, and
giuing them battell, discomfited their power, and tooke the said Occa
and Osca prisoners.
[Sidenote: _Hector Boet._]
From this varieth Hector Boetius in his chronicle of Scotland, writing
of these dooings in Britaine: for he affirmeth, that the counterfeit
moonke, which poisoned Aurelius Ambrosius, was suborned and sent to
woorke that feat by Occa, and not by his brother Pascentius: and
further, that about the selfesame time of Aurelius his death, his
brother Vter Pendragon lay in Wales, not as yet fullie recouered of a
sore sicknesse, wherewith of late he had béene much vexed. Yet the
lords of Britaine after the buriall of Aurelius Ambrosius, came vnto
him and crowned him king: and though he was not able to go against the
Saxons (which as then by reason of Aurelius Ambrosius his death were
verie busie, and more earnest in pursuing the warre than before) yet
an armie was prepared and sent foorth with all conuenient spéed vnder
the leading of one Nathaliod, a man neither of anie great ancient
house, nor yet of skill in warlike affaires.
The noble men were nothing pleased herewith, as misliking altogither
the lacke of discretion in their new king, & doubted sore, least in
time to come he would haue more delight to aduance the men of base
degrée, than such as were descended of noble parentage. Yet because
they would not put the state of the common wealth in danger through
anie mutinie, they agréed to go foorth with him in that iournie. Occa
had aduertisement giuen him by certeine letters sent to him from some
close friends amongest the Britains of the whole matter: and therefore
in hope of the better spéed, he hasted foorth to incounter the
Britains, and so the whole armie comming within sight of the other,
they prepared to the battell, and shortlie after buckling togither,
the Britains were soone discomfited, by reason that one of their
chiefest capteins called Gothlois disdaining to be at the appointment
of Nathaliod, got him vp to the next hill with the next battell which
he led, leauing the other Britains in all the danger: which they
séeing began by & by to flée. There died no great number of the
Britains, except those that were killed in the fight: for Occa
mistrusting what Gothlois meant by his withdrawing aside, would not
suffer the Saxons to follow the chase, but in the night following
Gothlois got him awaie, and rested not till he was out of danger. Occa
then perceiuing himselfe to haue the vpper hand, sent an herald vnto
king Vter with a certeine message, threatning destruction to him and
to his people, if he refused to doo that which he should appoint.
Vter perceiuing what disloialtie rested in the harts of his owne
subiects, agréed that the matter might be committed to eight graue and
wise councellors, foure Britains and foure Saxons, which might haue
full power to make an end of all controuersies and variances depending
betwixt the two nations. Occa was likewise contented therewith,
wherevpon were named on either part foure persons, of such wisedome,
knowledge and experience, as were thought meetest for the ordering of
such a weightie matter. So that by the arbitrement, award and doome of
those eight persons authorised thereto, a league was concluded vpon
certeine articles of agreement, amongst the which the chiefest was,
that the Saxons from thencefoorth should quietlie inioy all that part
of Britaine which lieth fore against the Almaine seas, the same to be
called euer after Engistlaund, and all the residue should remaine to
the Britains as their owne rightfull and ancient inheritance. Thus far
Hector Boetius.
But now to returne vnto Vter according to that we find in the British
histories, and to procéed after our owne historians; we find, that
when he had vanquished the Saxons and taken their two chiefeteins
prisoners, in processe of time he fell in loue with a verie beautifull
[Sidenote: Gorolus duke of Cornewall.]
ladie called Igwarne or Igerna, wife to one Gorolus or Gorlois duke of
Cornewall, the which duke he slue at length néere to his owne castell
called Diuulioc in Cornewall, to the end that he might inioy the said
ladie, whome he afterwards maried, and begot on hir that noble knight
Arthur, and a daughter named Amie or Anna. Occa and Osca escaping also
out of prison assembled eftsoones a power of Saxons, and made warre
against the Britains, whereof Vter hauing aduertisement prepared to
resist them, and finallie went himselfe in person against them, and at
[Sidenote: _Harding._]
saint Albans (as some write) gaue them battell, and slue them both in
the field.
By that which Polydor Virgil writeth, it should séeme that Germane the
bishop of Auxerre came into Britaine in the daies of this Vter, by
whose presence the Britains had victorie against the Saxons (as before
ye haue heard) after which victorie both rested from troubling either
other for a time. The Saxons as it were astonied with that present
miracle, & the Britains not following their good successe, shortlie
after fell at discord amongst themselues, which finallie brought them
to vtter decaie, as after shall appeare. But the Saxons desirous to
spoile the Britains of the whole possession of that part of the Ile
which they held, whereas they accounted the cities and townes of small
strength to be defended, they got them to an high mounteine called
[Sidenote: Badon hill.]
Badon hill, which Polydor supposeth to be Blackamore that lieth néere
to the water of Theise, which diuideth the bishoprike of Durham from
Yorkeshire, hauing at the mouth thereof an hauen méet to receiue such
ships as come out of Germanie, from whence the Saxons looked for aid,
hauing alreadie sent thither for the same.
The Britains being thereof aduertised, made hast towards the place,
and besieged it on euerie side. They also laie the sea coasts full of
souldiers, to kéepe such of the enimies from landing as should come
out of Germanie. The Saxons kept themselues for a certeine space aloft
vpon the high ground, but in the end constreined through want of
vittels, they came downe with their armie in order of battell to the
next plaines, and offering to fight, the battell was anon begun, which
continued from the morning till far in the day, with such slaughter,
that the earth on euerie side flowed with bloud: but the Saxons
susteined the greater losse, their capteins Occa and Osca being both
slaine, so that the Britains might séeme quite deliuered of all danger
of those enimies: but the fatall destinie could not be auoided, as
hereafter may appeare. And thus was the slaughter made of the Saxons
[Sidenote: _Gyldas._]
at Badon hill, whereof Gyldas maketh mention, and chanced the same
yeare that he was borne, which was in the 44 yeare after the first
[Sidenote: 492.]
comming of the Saxons into this land, the yeare of Grace 492, & 15
indiction.
[Sidenote: The decease of Vter Pendragon.]
About the same time Vter departed out of this life (saith Polydor) so
that this account agréeth nothing with the common account of those
authors, whome Fabian and other haue followed. For either we must
presuppose, that Vter reigned before the time appointed to him by the
said authors, either else that the siege of Badon hill was before he
began to reigne, as it should séeme in déed by that which Wil.
Malmesburie writeth thereof, as hereafter shall be also shewed.
Finallie (according to the agréement of the English writers) Vter
Pendragon died by poison, when he had gouerned this land by the full
terme of 16 years, & was after buried by his brother Aurelius at
[Sidenote: Stoneheng.]
[Sidenote: Chorea Gigantum.]
Stoneheng, otherwise called _Chorea Gigantum_, leauing his sonne
Arthur to succéed him. ¶ Here ye must note that the Scotish chronicles
declare, that in all the warres for the more part wherein the Britains
obteined victorie against the Saxons, the Scots aided them in the same
warres, and so likewise did the Picts, but the same chronicles doo not
onelie varie from the British writers in account of yeares, but also
in the order of things doone, as in the same chronicles more plainelie
may appeare, & namelie in the discourse of the accidents which chanced
during the reigne of this Vter. For whereas the British histories, as
ye haue heard, attribute great praise vnto the same Vter for his
victories atchiued against the Saxons and their king Occa, whome he
slue in battell, and obteined a great victorie, the Scotish writers
make other report, affirming in deed that by the presence of bishop
Germane he obteined victorie in one battell against them: but shortlie
after the Britains fought againe with the Saxons, and were
discomfited, although Occa in following the chase ouer rashlie chanced
to be slaine: after whose deceasse the Saxons ordeined his sonne named
also Occa to succéed in his place, who to make himselfe strong against
all his enimies, sent into Germanie for one Colgerne, the which with a
great power of Dutchmen came ouer into this our Britaine, and
conquered by Occas appointment the countrie of Northumberland, situate
betwéene Tine and Tweed, as in the Scotish chronicles may further
appeare.
Also this is to be remembred, that the victorie which was got against
the Saxons by the Britains, at what time Germane bishop of Auxerre was
present: Hector Boetius affirmeth (by authoritie of Veremond that
wrote the Scotish chronicles) to haue chanced the second time of his
comming ouer into this land, where Beda auoucheth it to be at his
first being heere. Againe the same Boetius writeth, that the same
victorie chanced in the daies of Vter Pendragon. Which can not be, if
it be true that Beda writeth, touching the time of the death of the
said Germane: for where he departed this life before the yeare of our
Lord 459, as aboue is said, Vter Pendragon began not his reigne till
the yeare of our Lord 500 or as the same Hector Boetius saith 503, so
that bishop Germane was dead long before that Vter began to reigne.
In déed some writers haue noted, that the third battell which Vortimer
fought against the Saxons, was the same wherein S. Germane was
present, and procured the victorie with the crie of _Alleluia_, as
before ye haue heard. Which seemeth to be more agréeable to truth, and
to stand also with that which holie Beda hath written, touching the
time of the being héere of the said Germane, than the opinion of
other, which affirme that it was in the time of the reigne of Vter.
The like is to be found in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke,
touching the time speciallie of the reignes of the British kings that
gouerned Britaine about that season. For as he affirmeth, Aurelius
Ambrosius began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 498, and ruled but
seuen yeares, and then succéeded Vter, which reigned 18 yeares, and
departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 521.
¶ Notwithstanding the premisses, here is to be remembred, that
whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of
this Vter had against the Saxons, and how that Osca the sonne of
Hengist should be slaine in battell by him and his power: in those old
[Sidenote: Osca.]
[Sidenote: 34 saith _Henrie Hunt._ in corrupted copies.]
writers which haue registred the acts of the English Saxon kings we
find no such matter, but rather that after the deceasse of Hengist,
his sonne Osca or Occa reigned in Kent 24 yeares, defending his
kingdome onelie, and not séeking to inlarge it (as before is touched.)
After whose death his sonne Oth, and Irmenrike sonne to the same Oth
succéeded, more resembling their father than their grandfather or
great grandfather. To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three
yeares by the chronicles: but whether they reigned iointlie togither,
or seuerallie & apart either after other, it is not certeinlie
perceiued.
* * * * *
_Porth the Saxon arriueth at Portesmouth, warre betweene Nazaleod king
of the Britains and the Saxons, the Britains are ouerthrowen and
slaine, the kingdome of the west Saxons beginneth, the compasse or
continent thereof, the meanes whereby it was inlarged._