[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ 1054. _Hector Boet._]
About the thirteenth yeare of king Edward his reigne (as some
write) or rather about the ninetéenth or twentith yeare, as
should appeare by the Scotish writers, Siward the noble earle of
Northumberland with a great power of horssemen went into Scotland,
and in battell put to flight Mackbeth that had vsurped the crowne of
Scotland, and that doone, placed Malcolme surnamed Camoir, the sonne
of Duncane, sometime king of Scotland, in the gouernement of that
realme, who afterward slue the said Mackbeth, and then reigned in
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _M. West._]
quiet. Some of our English writers say, that this Malcolme was king
of Cumberland, but other report him to be sonne to the king of
Cumberland. But héere is to be noted; that if Mackbeth reigned till
the yeare 1061, and was then slaine by Malcolme, earle Siward was not
at that battell; for as our writers doo testifie, he died in the yeare
1055, which was in the yeare next after (as the same writers affirme)
that he vanquished Mackbeth in fight, and slue manie thousands of
Scots, and all those Normans which (as ye haue heard) were withdrawen
into Scotland, when they were driuen out of England.
It is recorded also, that in the foresaid battell, in which earle
Siward vanquished the Scots, one of Siwards sonnes chanced to be
slaine, whereof although the father had good cause to be sorowfull,
yet when he heard that he died of a wound which he had receiued in
fighting stoutlie in the forepart of his bodie, and that with his face
towards the enimie, he greatlie reioised thereat, to heare that he
died so manfullie. But here is to be noted, that not now, but a little
before (as Henrie Hunt. saith) that earle Siward went into Scotland
himselfe in person, he sent his sonne with an armie to conquere the
land, whose hap was there to be slaine: and when his father heard the
newes, he demanded whether he receiued the wound whereof he died, in
the forepart of the bodie, or in the hinder part: and when it was told
him that he receiued in the forepart; "I reioise (saith he) euen with
all my heart, for I would not wish either to my sonne nor to my selfe
any other kind of death."
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ 1057.]
Shortlie after, Aldred the bishop of Worcester was sent vnto
the emperour Henrie the third, to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund
Ironside into England, whome king Edward was desirous to sée, meaning
to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne: but he died the same
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._ 1055.]
yeare after he came into England. This Edward was surnamed the outlaw:
his bodie was buried at Winchester, or (as an other saith) in the
church of S. Pauls in London.
¶ About the same time K. Edward by euill counsell (I wot not vpon what
occasion, but as it is thought without cause) banished Algar the
sonne of earle Leofrike: wherevpon he got him into Ireland, and there
prouiding 18 ships of rouers, returned, & landing in Wales, ioined
himselfe with Griffin the king or prince of Wales, and did much hurt
on the borders about Hereford, of which place Rafe was then earle,
that was sonne vnto Goda the sister of K. Edward by hir first
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Simon Dun._]
husband Gualter de Maunt. This earle assembling an armie, came forth
to giue battell to the enimies, appointing the Englishmen contrarie to
their manner to fight on horssebacke, but being readie (on the two &
twentith of October) to giue the onset in a place not past two miles
from Hereford, he with his Frenchmen and Normans fled, and so the
rest were discomfited, whome the aduersaries pursued, and slue to the
[Sidenote: The Welshmen obteine the victorie against Englishmen and
Normans.]
number of 500, beside such as were hurt and escaped with life.
Griffin and Algar hauing obteined this victorie, entered into the
towne of Hereford, set the minster on fire, slue seuen of the canons
that stood to defend the doores or gates of the principall church, and
finallie spoiled and burned the towne miserablie.
The king aduertised hereof, gathered an armie, ouer the which Harold
the sonne of earle Goodwine was made generall, who followed vpon the
enimies that fled before him into Northwales, & staied not, till
[Sidenote: Stratcluid.]
hauing passed through Stratcluid, he came to the mountaines of
[Sidenote: Snowdon.]
Snowdon, where he pitched his field. The enimies durst not abide him,
but got them into Southwales, whereof Harold being aduertised, left
the more part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies
there, & with the residue of his people came backe vnto Hereford,
[Sidenote: The citie of Hereford fortified by Harold.]
recouered the towne, and caused a great and mightie trench to be cast
round about it, with an high rampire, and fensed it with gates and
other fortifications. After this, he did so much, that comming to a
communication, with Griffin and Algar at a place called Biligelhage, a
peace was concluded, and so the nauie of earle Algar sailed about, and
came to Chester, there to remaine, till the men of warre and marriners
had their wages, while he went to the king, who pardoned his offense,
& restored him to his earledome.
[Sidenote: The decease of Siward earle of Northumberland.
_Ran. Higd._]
After this, in the verie same yeare, being the 15 of king
Edwards reigne, as some writers affirme, Siward the noble earle of
Northumberland died of the flix, of whom it is said, that when he
perceiued the houre of death to be néere, he caused him selfe to be
put in armour, & set vp in his chaire, affirming that a knight and a
man of honour ought to die in that sort, rather than lieng on a couch
like a féeble and fainthearted creature: and sitting so vpright in
his chaire armed at all points, he ended his life, and was buried at
Yorke. [O stout harted man, not vnlike to that famous Romane remembred
by Tullie in his "Tusculane questions," who suffered the sawing of his
leg from his bodie without shrinking, looking vpon the surgeon all the
while, & hauing no part of his bodie bound for shrinking.] The said
Siward earle of Northumberland was a man of a giantlike stature, &
thereto of a verie stout and hardie courage, & because his sonne
Walteif was but an infant, and as yet not out of his cradell, the
earledome was giuen vnto earle Tostie one of Goodwins sonnes.
* * * * *
_Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside is sent for to be made heire
apparant to the crowne, his death, the deceasse of Leofrike earle
of Chester, the vertues and good deeds of him and his wife Gudwina,
Couentrie free from custome and toll, churches and religious places
builded and repared, Algar succeedeth his father Leofrike in the
earledome, he is accused of treason and banished, he recouereth his
earledome by force of armes; Harold is sent with a power against
Griffin king of Wales; the countrie wasted, and the people forced to
yeeld, they renounce Griffin their king, kill him, and send his head
to Harold, Griffins brethren rule Wales after him by grant of king
Edward; Harolds infortunate going ouer into Normandie, the earle of
Ponthieu taketh him prisoner, and releaseth him at the request of
William duke of Normandie, for whose vse Harold sweareth to keepe
possession of the realme of England, the duke promiseth him his
daughter in mariage._