After that king Adelstane had subdued them of Northumberland, he was
aduertised, that not onelie Constantine king of Scots, but also
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
Huduale or Howell K. of Wales went about a priuie conspiracie against
him. Herevpon with all conuenient spéed assembling his power, he went
against them, and with like good fortune subdued them both, and also
Vimer or Wulferth K. of Northwales, so that they were constreined to
submit themselues vnto him, who shortlie after moued with pitie in
considering their sudden fall, restored them all three to their former
estates, but so as they should acknowledge themselues to gouerne vnder
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: The noble saieng of king Adelstane.]
[Sidenote: 926.]
him, pronouncing withall this notable saieng, that More honorable it
was to make a king, than to be a king.
Ye must vnderstand, that (as it appeareth in the Scotish chronicles)
the Scotishmen in time of wars that the Danes gaue the English nation,
got a part of Cumberland and other the north countries into their
possession, and so by reason of their néere adioining vnto the
confines of the English kings, there chanced occasions of warre
betwixt them, as well in the daies of king Edward, as of this
Adelstane his sonne, although in déed the Danes held the more part of
the north countries, till that this Adelstane conquered the same out
of their hands, and ioined it vnto other of his dominions,
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
constreining as well the Danes (of whome the more part of the
inhabitants then consisted) as also the Englishmen, to obey him as
their king and gouernour. Godfrie (as is said) being fled to the
Scots, did so much preuaile there by earnest sute made to king
Constantine, that he got a power of men, and entring with the same
into Northumberland, besiged the citie of Duresme, soliciting the
citizens to receiue him, which they would gladlie haue doone, if they
had not perceiued how he was not of power able to resist the puissance
of king Adelstane: and therefore doubting to be punished for their
offenses if they reuolted, they kept the enimies out. King Adelstane
[Sidenote: 934.]
being sore moued against the king of Scots, that thus aided his
enimies, raised an armie, and went northward, purposing to reuenge
that iniurie.
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
At his comming into Yorkshire, he turned out of the way, to visit the
place where saint Iohn of Beuerlie was buried, and there offered his
knife, promising that if he returned with victorie, he would redéeme
the same with a woorthie price: and so proceeded and went forwards on
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._]
his iournie, and entring Scotland, wasted the countrie by land vnto
Dunfoader and Wertermore, and his nauie by sea destroied the coasts
alongst the shore, euen to Catnesse, and so he brought the king of
[Sidenote: The Scots subdued.]
Scots and other his enimies to subiection at his pleasure,
constreining the same K. of Scots to deliuer him his son in hostage.
[Sidenote: A token shewed miraculouslie that the Scots ought to be
subiect to the kings of England.]
It is said, that being in his iournie néere vnto the towne of Dunbar,
he praied vnto God, that at the instance of saint Iohn of Beuerlie, it
would please him to grant, that he might shew some open token, whereby
it should appeare to all them that then liued, and should hereafter
succeéd, that the Scots ought to be subiect vnto the kings of England.
Herewith, the king with his sword smote vpon a great stone standing
néere to the castle of Dunbar, and with the stroke, there appeared a
clift in the same stone to the length of an elme, which remained to be
shewed as a witnesse of that thing manie yeares after. At his comming
backe to Beuerlie, he redéemed his knife with a large price, as before
he had promised.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
[Sidenote: 934.]
After this was Edwin the kings brother accused of some conspiracie by
him begun against the king, wherevpon he was banished the land, and
sent out in an old rotten vessell without rower or mariner, onelie
accompanied with one esquier, so that being lanched foorth from the
shore, through despaire Edwin leapt into the sea, and drowned
himselfe, but the esquier that was with him recouered his bodie, and
brought it to land at Withsand besides Canturburie. But Iames Maier in
the annales of Flanders saieth, that he was drowned by fortune of the
seas in a small vessell, and being cast vp into a créeke on the coast
of Picardie, was found by Adolfe earle of Bullongne that was his
coosin germane, and honorablie buried by the same Adolfe in the church
of Bertine. In consideration of which déed of pietie and dutie of
mindfull consanguinitie, the king of England both hartilie thanked
[Sidenote: Repentance too late.]
earle Adolfe, and bestowed great gifts vpon the church where his
brother was thus buried. For verelie king Adelstane after his
displeasure was asswaged, and hearing of this miserable end of his
brother, sore repented himselfe of his rigour so extended towards him,
in so much that he could neuer abide the man that had giuen the
information against him, which was his cupbearer, so that on a time as
the said cupbearer serued him at the table, and came towards him with
a cup of wine, one of his féet chanced to slide, but he recouered
himselfe with the helpe of the other foot, saieng, "One brother yet
hath holpen & succored the other:" which words cost him his life. For
the king remembring that by his accusation he had lost his brother
that might haue béene an aid to him, caused this said cupbearer to be
straight put to death.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
In this meane while, Aulafe the sonne of Sitherike, late king of
Northumberland (who is also named by writers to be king of the
Irishmen, and of manie Ilands) assembled a great power of Danes,
Irishmen, Scots, and other people of the out Iles, and imbarked them
in 615 ships and craiers, with the which he arriued in the mouth of
Humber, and there comming on land, began to inuade the countrie. This
[Sidenote: 937.]
Aulafe had maried the daughter of Constantine king of Scots, by whose
procurement, notwithstanding his late submission, Aulafe tooke in
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
hand this iournie. King Adelstane aduertised of his enimies arriuall,
gathered his people, and with all conuenient spéed hasted towards
them, and approching néerer vnto them, pitcht downe his field at a
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
place called by some Brimesburie, by others Brimesford, and also
Brunaubright, and by the Scotish writers Browmingfield.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: _Hector Boet._]
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
[Sidenote: Aulafe disguised, cometh to view the English camp.]
When knowledge hereof was had in the enimies campe, Aulafe enterprised
a maruelous exploit, for taking with him an harpe, he came into the
English campe, offring himselfe disguised as a minstrell, to shew some
part of his cunning in musicke vpon his instrument: and so being
suffered to passe from tent to tent, and admitted also to plaie afore
the king, surueied the whole state and order of the armie. This doone,
he returned, meaning by a cammisado to set vpon the kings tent. But
one that had serued as a souldier sometime vnder Aulafe, chanced by
marking his demeanour to know him, and after he was gone, vttered to
the king what he knew. The king séemed to be displeased, in that he
had not told him so much before Aulafs departure: but in excusing
himselfe, the souldier said: "Ye must remember (if it like your grace)
that the same faith which I haue giuen vnto you, I sometime owght vnto
Aulafe, therfore if I should haue betraied him now, you might well
stand in doubt least I should hereafter doo the like to you: but if
you will follow mine aduise, remoue your tent, least happilie he
assaile you vnwares." The king did so, and as it chanced in the night
[Sidenote: Aulafe assaileth the English camp.]
following, Aulafe came to assaile the English campe, and by fortune
comming to the place where the kings tent stood before, he found a
bishop lodged, which with his companie was come the same day to the
armie, and had pitcht vp his tent in that place from whence the king
was remoued: and so was the same bishop, and most part of his men
there slaine, which slaughter executed, Aulafe passed forward, and
came to the kings tent, who in this meane time, by reason of the
alarum raised, was got vp, and taking to him his sword in that sudden
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
fright, by chance it fell out of the scabbard, so that he could not
find it, but calling to God and S. Aldelme (as saith Polychron.) his
sword was restored to the scabbard againe. The king comforted with
that miracle, boldlie preased foorth vpon his enimies, and so
valiantlie resisted them, that in the end he put them to flight, and
chased them all that morning and day following, so that he slue of
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: The enimies discomfited.]
them an huge number. Some haue written, that Constantine king of Scots
was slaine at this ouerthrow, and fiue other small kings or rulers,
with 12 dukes, and welnéere all the armie of those strange nations
which Aulafe had gathered togither. But the Scotish chronicles
affirme, that Constantine was not there himselfe, but sent his sonne
Malcolme, which yet escaped sore hurt and wounded from the battell, as
in the same chronicles ye may sée more at large.
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
When K. Adelstane had thus vanquished his enimies in the north parties
of England, he went against them of Northwales, whose rulers and
princes he caused to come before him at Hereford, and there handled
them in such sort, that they couenanted to pay him yeerlie in lieu of
[Sidenote: Tribute.]
[Sidenote: The Cornish men subdued.]
a tribute 20 pounds of gold, 300 pounds of siluer, and 25 head of
neate, with hawks and hownds a certeine number. After this, he subdued
the Cornishmen: and whereas till those daies they inhabited the citie
of Excester, mingled amongest the Englishmen, so that the one nation
was as strong within that citie as the other, he rid them quite out of
[Sidenote: Excester repaired.]
[Sidenote: 940.]
the same, and repared the walles, and fortified them with ditches and
turrets as the maner then was, and so remoued the Cornish men further
into the west parts of the countrie, that he made Tamer water to be
the confines betwéene the Englishmen and them. Finallie the noble
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
[Sidenote: The decease of king Adelstane.]
prince king Adelstane departed out of this world, the 26 day of
October, after he had reigned the tearme of 16 yeares. His bodie was
buried at Malmesburie.
[Sidenote: The description of king Adelstane.]
He was of such a stature, as exceeded not the common sort of men,
stooping somewhat, and yellowe haired, for his valiancie ioined with
courtesie beloued of all men, yet sharpe against rebels, and of
inuincible constancie: his great deuotion toward the church appeared
in the building, adorning & indowing of monasteries and abbeis. He
built one at Wilton within the diocesse of Salisburie, and an other at
Michelnie in Summersetshire. But besides these foundations, there were
few famous monasteries within this land, but that he adorned the same
either with some new péece of building, iewels, bookes, or portion of
[Sidenote: Wolstan archbishop of Yorke.]
[Sidenote: His estimation in forain realmes.]
lands. He had in excéeding fauour Wolstan archbishop of Yorke that
liued in his daies, for whose sake he greatlie inriched that
bishoprike. His fame spread ouer all the parties of Europe, so that
sundrie princes thought themselues happie if they might haue his
friendship, either by affinitie or otherwise: by meanes whereof, he
bestowed his sisters so highlie in mariage as before ye haue heard. He
receiued manie noble and rich presents from diuers princes, as from
Hugh king of France, horsses and sundrie rich iewels, with certeine
relikes: as Constantines sword, in the hilt whereof was set one of the
nailes wherewith Christ was fastened to the crosse, the speare of
Charles the great, which was thought to be the same wherewith the side
of our sauiour was pearced, the banner of saint Maurice, with a part
of the holie crosse, and likewise a part of the thorned crowne: yet
Mandeuile saw the one halfe of this crowne in France, and the other at
Constantinople, almost 400 yeares after this time, as he writeth. Of
these iewels king Adelstane gaue part to the abbie of saint Swithon at
Winchester, and part to the abbie of Malmesburie. Moreouer, the king
of Norwaie sent vnto him a goodlie ship of fine woorkmanship, with
gilt sterne and purple sailes, furnished round about the decke within
[Sidenote: _Harding._]
with a rowe of gilt pauises. ¶ In the daies of this Adelstane reigned
that right worthie Guy earle of Warwike, who (as some writers haue
recorded) fought with a mightie giant of the Danes in a singular
combat, and vanquished him.
* * * * *
_Edmund succeedeth Adelstane in the kingdome, the Danes of
Northumberland rebell against him, a peace concluded betwene Aulafe
their king and king Edmund vpon conditions, Aulafe dieth, another of
that name succeedeth him; king Edmund subdueth the Danes, and
compelleth them to receiue the christian faith, Reinold and Aulafe are
baptised, they violate their fealtie vowed to king Edmund, they are
put to perpetuall exile; why king Edmund wasted all Northumberland,
caused the eies of king Dunmails sonnes to be put out, and assigned
the said countrie to Malcolme king of Scots; the Scotish chroniclers
error in peruerting the time & order of the English kings, king
Edmunds lawes, by what misfortune he came to his end, how his death
was foreshewed to Dunstane in a vision, a tale of the vertue of the
crosse, Dunstane reproueth duke Elstane, his dreame, and how the
interpretation thereof came to passe._