FIrst as Galfride saith this lande was named Albi­on after the name of Albyne the oldest doughter of Diocleslan / and had xxxij. sustres / And they were first that enhabited this lande / And because she was the oldest suster she named this lond Albion after her owne na­me as the cronicle reherseth / Othir saye that this lond was named Albion as it where the white londe of white rockes aboute the clines of the see that were seyne fro ferre ¶ Afterward Brute con­quered this lond and callid it Brytayn after his owne name Thenne Saxons or englisshmen conquered this lond and callid it Anglia that is Englond / Or it is callid Anglia of a quene that owed this lande that was named Angela and was a noble dukes doughter of the Saxons / Or as ysid seyth ethi. xv. Anglia hath that name as it were an angle and a corner of the world Ozels as Beda saith li. j. Seynt Grectorie sawe englissh children to selle at Rome and he accorded to the name of the londe / and sayde they ber, sothly anglis / for ther face shyned as angels / for the no­blede of the londe shone in the children faces / Alfre. The brittyssh anglia is cleped the othir world / and for grete plente of all good the grete Charles called it his owne chambre / Solinꝰ. The edge of the frenish clif shold be the ende of the world / yf the ylonde of britayn ne were not / whiche is worthy to haue the name of an othir world / Alfre. This Ilonde is callid insula for it is in salo / that is the see / and is beten of with diuerse cours of waters with stremez and with wawes of the sce

THis britayn is acounted a noble londe bothe in our sto­ries and also in the stories of grekes / and is sette ayenste Germania. Gallia. Fraunce & spayne bitwene the north and the west and the see bitwene / This londe is fyfty myle from the clyf of the men that he called morini gessorico / Beda li. j. And for this Ilonde lyeth vnder the north hede of the worlde / hit hath lyght and bright nyghtes in the somer tyme / So that oft tyme at mydnyght men haue questions and doubte wethir it be euen tyde or dawyng / that is for the tyme of the yere that the sonne goth not fer vnder the erthe by nyght / but passeth by the north syde and cometh sone in to the este agayn / And therfore in the somer ben ther dayes ful longe of xviij. houres / And the nyghtes of vj. houres And after in the wynter ben longe nyghtes of xviij. houres / and [Page] short dayes of vj. houres Also in armenia macedonia Italia and in othir londes of the same lyne the lengest day and lengest nyght also is of xv. houres / and the shortest day or nyght is of ix. houres Pliꝰ in meroe / that Ilonde is chief of black mē / ther is the lengest day xij. houres / In alexandria in egipt of xiij. houres / In Italia of xv. houres / In Britayne of xviij. houres / In the Ilonde na­med Tylem alle the vj. somer monethes is day / and alle the sixe wynter monthes is nyght / Ysido. li. xiiij. Britayne is sette within Ocean as it were withoute the world / and is sette ayenst fraunce and spayne / Giraldus Britayne is endlong and larger in the myddel than in thendes / Oroꝰ / Britayne stretcheth in lengthe out of the south in to the north / and in the southest side / hit hath fraūce in the south spayne / In the north norwey / and in the west hiber­nia that is Irlonde / whan shipmen passen the next clyf of that londe they see a cite that heet rutpi mouth / Beda li. j. That cite is now called shortly of englisshmen Reptacestre / Solinus / Britayne is viij. C. myle of lengthe / and it be moten from the clyf of Totenesse to the angle of Calidon / Alfre. That is from pen withstrete xv. myle beyonde michels stowe in cornewaille / vnto Catenesse that is be yonde scotland / and Britayne is more than ij. C. myle brode frō meuenia that is the vttemest place in wales vnto yarmouth in norffolke / Beda Only outake the lengest out sheting of diuerse forlondes with the which Britayne is all aboute xlviij. sithe lxx thousand paas

IS fraunce passeth Britayne so Britayne passeth Irlond in feyr weder and noblete / but not in helthe / Beda li. j [...] For this Ilonde is beste to bringe forth trees and fruyt / Ruthern and beestis / And wyn groweth therin in somme place The londe hath plente of fowles and of beestis of diuerce maner kynde / The londe is plenteuous & the see also / The londe is noble copious and riche of noble welles and ryuers wyth plente of fisshe / Ther is grete plente of small fisshe of samon and of celes / Wilhel. de pon̄. li. iij. So that the peple in somme place fedeth their swyne with fysshe / Beda libro primo / There ben oftymes taken Dolphyns / Sée calues / and balaynes grete fysshes as whales kynde / and diuerse maner shelfysshe / amonge whiche shelfysshe ben muskles that within hem haue Margeri peerles of all maner [Page] of colour and hewe of rody and rede purpure and of blewe / and specially and most of whyte There is also plente of shellefysshe that men dyen ther with fyn reed / the redenes ther of is wonder fayre and stable / and steyneth neuer with colde ne with hete with weet ne with drye / But euer the older the colour is the fay­rer / Ther ben also saltwelles and hote welles / ther of rennen stre­mes of hote bathes departed in to diuerse places accordyng / for man and woman of all maner age olde or yonge / Basilius seith that the water that renneth and passeth by wynes of certayn me talle taketh in his cours grete hete / This Ilond is plenteuous of wynes of metuls / bras of yren / of lede / of tyn / and of siluer also. Pliꝰ libro vj. ca. vj. In this Ilonde vnder the turf of the londe is good marle founden / the thryfte of the fatnes dryeth hym selfe therin / So that euer the thikker the felde is marled / the better coin it wole bere / There is also anothir maner whyte marle / that the londe is better foure score yere that ther with is marled

Solinus In this Ilonde groweth a stone that is callid gagates yf ye wyll knowe his fayrnesse / it is black as gemmes ben / Yf ye wyll knowe his kynde / hit brenneth in water and quenchith in oyle and as to his myght / yf the stone be froted and chauffed hit holdelth what hym neygheth as succuns a stone that is so na­med / Ysidorus libro decimoquinto. Ther ben sheep that berin good wulle / There ben many hertes and wylde bestes and fewe wol­ues / therfore sheep ben the surer withoute kepyng lefte in the felde R / In this Ilonde also ben many atees and townes faire and noble and riche / many grete riuers and stremes with grete plen­te of fysshe / many fayre woodes and grete / with right many be­stes tame and wilde / The erthe of that londe is copyous of me­tall oor / and of saltwelles / of quareyes of marble of dmerse ma­ner stones / of reed of whyte of softe and of [...] / of chalke and of whyte lyme / Ther is also whyte clay and reed for to make pottes / crokkes / stenes / and othir vessell and brente tyle to couere with houses and chirches / as it were in the othir samia / that is named samos also / Flaundres loueth well the wulle of this lon­de And holand the skynnes and felles of alle maner of bestes / Guyan the yron and the leed / Irlonde the oor and the salt / Alle Europa loueth and desireth the whyte metall of this londe / Alfredus / Britayne hath ynow of mater that ther nedeth to bye and selle / or is nedefull to mannes vse / ther lacketh nethir salt ne yron / Therfore a versifiour in his metre preyseth this londe in [Page] this maner / Englond is a good londe fruytfull of wolle / but it is a corner / Englond is full of pleye / fre men / well worthy to pleye / fre men / fre tonges / fre hertes / and fre ben all their thinges / theyr honde is more fre and better than their tonge / Also englond is be­auteuous of londe / flour of londes all aboute that londe is ful paid with fruyt & good of his owne / that londe releueth straunge men that hath nede therto And whan honger greueth othir londes that londe fedeth hem / That londe berith fruyt & corne good ynouh That londe is well at cese / as longe as men lyue in pees / Est & west in eche lond / ben knowen well the hauenes of englond / her shippes foundes & ofte helpeth many londes / their mete & money / men haue ther more comyn alway / And for to lerne men gladly yeue yeftes In londe & stronde / wyde speke men of englond / londe hony mylke chese this Ilonde therof shall bere the prise / This Ilonde hath no nede to othir londes / alle londes muste seche helpe at this allone / Of the lykyng of their woun / myght wonder kyng salomon / the ry­chesse that ther is an / wolde desire Octauian

IN Britayne ben hoot welles / well arayed & a dressyd to the vse of mākynde / maistresse of thilke welles is the gre­te spirite of minerua / In her hous the fyre endureth al­way that neuer chaungeth in to asshes / but there the fyre slaketh / hit chaungeth in to stone clottes / Alfre. In Britayne ben many wondres nethebes foure ben most wonderfull / The first is at pectō ther bloweth so stronge wynde out of the chynes of the erthe / that it casteth vp agayne clothes that men caste in The seconde is at ston henge besides saleofbury / ther ben grete stones & wonder huge & ben rered an heygh as it were yates / so that ther famen yates sette vp­on othir yates / Netheles it is not knowen clerly ne aperceyued how & wherfor they hen so arered and so wonderfully honged The thirde is atte cherdhoke / there is a grete holownes vnder erthe / ofte many men haue walked therin & haue seen riuers & stremes / but nowher can they fynde none ende / The fourthe is that rayne is seen reysed vpon hilles & anone yspronge aboute in the feldes / Also ther is a grete ponde that conteyneth lx. Ilondes couenable for men to duelle in / that ponde is biclipped aboute with vj. score roches / and vpon euery roche an egles nest / And lx. Ryuers rennen in to that ponde / & none of hem all renne in to the see but one / Ther is a [Page] ponde closed aboute with a wal of tyle and of stone / In that ponde men wassh and bathe well ofte / And euery man fel [...]th the water hoot or colde right as he wyll hym selfe / Ther ben salt welles fer from the see and ben salt al the weke longe vnto saterday none and fressh fro saterday none vnto monday / The water of these welles whan it is soden torneth in to small salt fayre and whyte Also ther is a ponde / the water therof hath wonder wirchyng / for though all an hoost stode by the ponde and torned their face thid­derward the water wold drawe hym violently toward the ponde and wete all their clothes / so shold horse be drawen in the same wyse / And yf the face be torned away fro the water / the water noyeth not / There is a welle that no streme renneth fro / nethir therto / and yet foure maner fisshes be taken therin / that welle is but xx. foote longe and xx. fote brode / and not depe but to the kne / and closeth with hygh bankes on euery side / In the contrey aboute wynche­stre is a denne or a caue / oute of that caue bloweth alway a stron­ge wynde / so that noman may endure to stonde to fore that dēne or caue Therre is also a pond that torneth tree in to yron yf it be ther in a yere / And so trees ben shapen in to whestones / Also ther is in the toppe of an hylle a buriels euery man that cometh and meteth that buryel / he shall fynde it euen of his owne bengthe and mesure And yf a pilgrym knele therto / anone he shall be alle fressh and fele no grief of werynes / Gir. in top. Fast by the mynster of wyn burney that is not fer fro bathe / is a wode that bereth moche fruyt yf the trees of that wode falle in to water or grounde that is neyh aud lye there all a yere / the tre [...] tornen in to stones / Gir. in itinere vuder the cite of chestr [...]enneth that riuer dee / that now departeth Englond and wale [...] chaunged euery moneth his fordes as men of the contrey [...]llen / and leueth ofte the chanel / but whether the water drawe more toward Englond or toward wales to what side that it be / that yere men of that side haue the werse ende and be ouersette / And men of that othir side shall haue better ende and ben at their aboue / whan the water so chaungith his cours hit bodeth such happes / This riuer dee renneth and cometh oute of a lake that hete pymblemere / In this riuer is grete plente of sa­mon / netheles in the lake is neur samon founden / Wilhel. de re. li. ij Take hede how grete light & brightnes of goddes myldenes hath be shewd vpon Englisshmen / sith they torned first to right beleue / So that of no men in one prouynce ben founden so many hole bo­dies of men after her deth in lyknes of euerlastyngnes that shall [Page] be after the day of dome / as it well semeth in these holyiseintes / Edeldrede Edmonde / the kyng Elphege / Edgar Cutberd & seint Edward & many othir / I trowe that it be do by speciall grace of god Almyghty for the nacion that is sette as it were without the world shold take hede to buryng of bodyes withoute corrupcion and roting / and ben the more bolde and stedfast for to truste on the fynall arysing of dede bodyes for to laste euermore after the day of dome

AFter the first Brutes tyme the Ilonde of Britayne begā for to haue the principall parties that ben loegria cambria that is wales / And Albania that is now scotlond [...]oegria had that name of locrinus that was Brutes oldest sone / and heet loegria as it were locrinus londe / bnt now loegria is called englonde / The boundes & merkes were therof somtyme the frenssh see bothe by eest & by sonth / Beda li. j. ca. ij. And by north two armes of the see that breketh fer in to the londe eyther ayenst othir / But they reche not to gydres / the eest arme of thylke tweyne beginneth aboute a two li [...]ll myle fro the mynstre of Ebburcuring In the west side of penulton in that arme is a toune that is called Guy­dy / The west arme of thilke tweyne hath in the right side a strong cite that heet Alcliud which in her langage is called Clirtstone and standeth vpon a riuer that is called Clynt also / R / Somme men wold mene that loegria endeth at humbre / and stretcheth no ferther northward / The seconde partie of Britayne is called Al­bania that is scotland and hath that name of Albanactus bru­tes sone and stretcheth fro the forsaid two armes of the see north ward vnto the see of Norwaye / Netheles the south parties of Al­bania where as pictes duelled somtyme / lieth from the water of twede vnto the scottissh see / All that longed somtyme to the kyng­dome of Northumberland brenicorn the northside of Northumber­lond fro the first tyme of englissh kynges / to that tyme whan ky­nadius kyng of scotland that was Alpinus sone dyde away the pictes / and so Ioyned that contrey to the kyngdome of scotland The thirde partie of britayne is wales wallia that heet Cambria also / and had that name Cambria of Camber Brutes sone / for he was prince of wales / In the cest side Seuarn departed somty­me bitwene englond and wales / Bnt now in the northside the ri­uer [Page] dee at Chestre / and in the south the riuer that is named vaga at the Castell of strigelin departeth englond & wales / Also kynge Offa for to haue a distinction for euermore bitwene the kynges of englond and of wales made a longe dyche that stretcheth forth oute of the southside by Bristow vnder the hilles of wales northward and passeth the riuers Seuarn and dee almost to the hee­des & vnto the mouth of the riuer dee beyonde Chestre fast by the castell it renneth bitwene colehill and the mynstre of basingwerk in to the see / This dyche is yet in many places seen / In seint Ed­wardes tyme walsshmen shold not passe that dyche with wepen vpon a grete payne / And that was at erle haroldes procuring as it shall be said here after / But now in eyther sides bothe ayond­half and a this half the dyche and specially in the shyres of Ch­stre of Srowsbury and of herford in many places ben Englisshmen and walsshmen medlyd to gydres

BRytayne hath thre Ilondes that ben nygh and longen therto all without the Ilondes orcades / as it were ansue­ring to the thre chief parties of britayne / For the Ile of wyght longeth and lieth to loegria that is englond / The Ilonde Mon that is called Angeseya also longeth to wales / & the Ilonde Eubonia that hath two othir names & is called Menaiua & mā al so / whiche longeth to scotlonde / And all these thre Ilondes wyght Mon and Man ben almost yliche moche / and of the like quantite of the which thre all arewe now folo weth oure speche / Beda li. j. ca. iij. Claudius sence vaspasianꝰ and vaspasianus wan wyght and wyght stretcheth oute of the eest in to the west xxx. myle longe / And oute of the south in to the north xij. myle / and is in the eest side six myle fro the south clyf of Britayne / and thre myle in the west side / Beda li. iiij. ca. v. The mesure of this Ilonde as En­glisshmen gesse is a M. housholdes and two hondred / Gir. in itinere. Mon that is called Angleseya also is departed from north wales by a short arme of the see as it were ij. myle brode In mon ben iij. C. tounes lxiij. & ben acōpded for cādredes y^t ben iij. hondredes the Ilonde is as it were xxx. myle longe & xij. myle brode / Candredus is so moch londe as cōteyneth an C. tounes / y^• name candredꝰ is made out of two langages of brittissh & of Irissh in praysing [Page] of this Ilonde walsshinen be wonde to saye a prouerbe and an olde sawe / mon mam kembry / that is to saye in englissh / that londe is so good that it semeth that it wolde fynde corn ynow for all the men of wales Therfor virgyls uses may be acordyng therto / as moch as gua wes / bestes longe Inneth dawes / So moche efte / bryngeth cold dewe in a nyght / In that arme of the see that departeth this londe and north wales / is a swolow that draweth shippes to it that saylleth by and swoloweth hem in / right as doth Cilla and Caribdis that ben two perilous places in the see of myddell erthe / Ther­fore men may not saille by this swalow / but slyly atte full see / R Of the meruaylles and woundres of the Ilond Mon thou shalt fynde to fore in the chapitre of wales / Gir. in itinere / The third Ilō de that is called bothe Eubonia and Menauia that is man ston / deth in the myddell bitwene the Irissh vlster and the scottyssh galle waye / as it were in the nauel of the see / Beda li. ij. ca. ix. This Ilonde man conteyneth as it were two Ilondes / The first is south­ward the more contrey and the better corn londe / and condeyneth ix. c. and lx. housholdes. The scconde condeyneth the space of CCC. and moo as englisshmen gesse / Gir. in top. Somtyme was stryfe wether this Ilonde Man sholde longe to Brytayne or to Irlonde And for as moche as venemous woemes that were brought the der lyued there / It was Iugged that the Ilonde Man sholde longe to Briteyne / R / In that Ilonde is sortilege and wicchecraft vsed For women there selle to shippmen wynde as it were closed vnder thre knottes of threde / so that the more wynde he wole haue / the mo knottes he muste vndo / Ther ofte by day tyme men of that londe seen men that ben deed to fore hond beheded or hoole and what deth they deyde Aliens sette their feet vpon feet of the men of that londe for to see suche sightes as the men of that lond doon / Beda li. ij. Scottes duelled first in this Ilond / Thanatos that is Tenet and is an Ilonde besides kente / and hath that name Thanatos of deth of serpentes / for there ben none / And the erthe therof sleeth serpentes yborn in to othir londes / There is noble corne londe and fruyt­full / Hit is supposed that this Ilonde was balewed and blessed of seynt Austyn the first doctour of englisshmen for there he arry­ued first

[Page] MOliuncius kyng of Britons was the xxiij. of hem and the first that yaf hem lawe / he ordeyned that plowmen so­lowes / goddes temples and heygh weyes that leden men to citees and tounes sholde haue the fredom of socour / so that euery man that wente to ony of thē for socour or for trespaas that he had do / shold be sauf for poursute of all his enemyes / But afterward for the weyes were vncertayn & strif was had / Therfor Belinus the kyng that was the forsaid Moliuncius sone for to put away all doubte and strif / made foure hyghe kynges weyes priueleged with all priuelege and fredome / And the weyes stretche thurgh the Ilonde / The first & gretese of the foure weyes is called fosse / & stretcheth oute of the south in to the north / and begynneth from the corner of cornewaille & passeth forth by deuenshyre by somersete & forth besides Tetbury vpon Cotteswold beside couentre vnto Leycestre & so foth by wylde pleynes toward newerke & ended at lincoln / The seconde chief kynges high waye is named watlingstre­te & stretcheth thwert ouer fosse oute of the southeest in to the northwest / & begynneth at douer & passeth by the myddell of ken'te ouer teinse beside london by west westmestre & so forth by seint Albon in the west side by donstaple by stratford by towcetre by wedon by south lylleborn / by atheriston vnto Gilbertes hille that now is cal­led wrekene & forth by seuarn & passeth besides wrokcestre & then forth to stratton & so forth by the myddell of wales vnto Cardy­kan and endeth atte Irissh see / The thirde way is called Erynnugestrete and stretcheth oute of the west norweste in to eest southest and begynneth in meneuia that is in seint dauids londe in weste wales and stretcheth forth vnto southampton / The fourthe is called Ryken yldestrete & stretcheth forth by worchestre by wycombe by byrmyngeham by lichefeld by derby by chestrefeld by yorke & forth vnto tynmouthe

THre famous riuers rennen thurgh Britayn by y^e whiche thre Ryuers marchaunts of beyonde the see comen in shippes in to Britayne well neyh oute of alle maner of na­cions and londes / These thre Ryuers ben Temse / Seuarn and hū bre / The see ebbeth and floweth atte mouthes of these thre Ryuers and departeth the thre prouynces of the Ilonde as it were the thre kyngdomes asondre / The thre parties ben / loegria / Cambria and [Page] Northumbria / that ben middell englond / wales and northnmberland / R / These name temse semeth made one name of two names of two riuers that ben tame and yse / for the riuer tame renneth besides dorchestre and falleth in yse / therfore alle the riuer fro the fyrst hede vnto the eest see is named Tamyse or temse / Temse be­gynneth besides tetbury that is thre myle bynorth malmesburx / There the temse springeth of a welle that renneth cestward and passeth the fosse and departeth Gloucestre shyre / and wylshyre / and draweth with hym many othir welles and streemes and wexeth grete at grecestre and passeth forth than toward hamp­ton and so forth by Oxenford by wallyngford by redyng and by london / Wilhelmus de pon̄. ca. ij. Atte hauene of Sandwhiche hit falleth in to the eest see / and holdeth his name fourty myle be­yonde london / and depar [...]d in somplace kente and essex westsex and mercia that is as it were a grete-dele of middell englond / R / Seuarne is a riuer of Batayne and is called habern in britone and hath that name habern / of habren that was Estrildes dough­ter / Guēdolon the quene drenched this habren therin / therfor the britons called the riuer babren after the woman that was drowned therin / but by corrupt latyn it is called sabrina Seuarn in english Seuarn begynneth in the myddell of wales & passed first toward the eest vnto shrowesbury / and thenne torneth southward vnto briggenorth wircestre and gloucestre and falleth in to the west see besides bristowe and departed in somme place englond and wales Wilhel. de pon̄. li. iiij. Seuarn is swyft of streme / fisshe craft is ther in / wodenes of the swolewynge and of whirlyng water casteth vp & gadrith to hepe grete hepes of grauel / Seuarn ofte ariseth & ouerflowrth the bankes / R / Humbre hath that name of humbre kyng of hunes for he was drowned therin And renneth fyrst a crook oute of the southside of york / and thenne it departed the pro­uynce of lyndeseye that longed somtyme to the merces from-the othir contrey northumberland / Trente and ouse rennen in to humbre and maken the riuer full grete Treuisa / The merces were men as it were of myddell englond as it shall be said here after

THe kyngdome of britayne was somtyme made fair with xxviij. noble citees withoute right many castels y^• were walled with toures with yates & with barres strongly buylded / Alf [...]. These were the names of the citees / [...]lud that is [Page] london / Caerbranc / that is yorke / Caerkente / that is Caunterbu­ry / Caergoraugon that is wircestre / Caerlirion that is leycestre / Caerclon that is Gloucestre / Caercolden that is Colchestre / Carrei that is Chichestre / Saxons called it somtyme Cissoncestre / Caerceri that is C [...]cestre / Caerguent that is wynchestre / Caergraunte / that is Cambrygge / Caerleyll that is luguba [...]a and Krarlyll / Caerperis that is porchestre / Caerdrom that is dorchestre Caerludcoit that is lincoln and lindecolin Ca [...]rmerthyn that is merlins cite / Caersegent that is sicestre and is vpon Temse not fer from R [...] dyng / Caerthleon that is Caerlegion also and hight first leg [...]ce­stre and now is named Chestre Caerbathon that is Bathe and hightr sommetyme Athamannus Cyte / Caerpaladour that is septon that no whighte Shaftesbury / R / Other citees hen founden in cronyks for vnderstondyng of storyes / of whom it shall folowe / Wilhel. de pon̄. London is a riall and a riche Cite vpon Tamyse / of burgeysses of richesses of marchaunts of chaffare and of marchandyse / Therfore it is that somtyme whan derth of vitails is in all Englond commuly at london it is best chepe because of the by­ars and sellars that be [...] at london / Gaufre. Brute the first kyng of Batons buylded and edefied this Cyte of london the first ci­te of Britayne in remeinbraunce of the Cyte of Troye that was destroyed and called it Troyene weth and trinouantum that is new Troye / Afterward kyng lud called it Caerlud after his owne name / therfor Britons hadde grete indignacion as Gildas telleth / Afterward Englisshmen called the Cyte london / and yet after that Normans called it loundres / and is named in latyn londonia / Rudhudibras kyng [...]eyles sone was the viij. kyng of Britons / he bylded Caunterbury the chief Cite of kente / and called it Caerkente / Afterward englisshmen called it dorobernia / but that is not douer that stondeth vpon y^• clyf of the Frensshe see And is from this douer xij. Englissh myle / Afterward this do­robernia was and is called Caunterbury / The same kyng Rud­hudibras buylded wynchestre and called it Caerguent / And after Englisshmen called it wente and wynchestre after the na­me of one wyne an Englisshman that was bisshopp there / all west saxon was subgrtte to hym / the same kyng bylded palodour that is S [...]p [...]on / that now is called Shaftesbury / Britons tellen that an Egle prop [...]cied there somtyme / Bladud beyles sone a nigro man [...]r was the ix. kyng of Britons / he bylded Bathe & called it Caerbadun / Englisshmen called it after Athamannes cite / but [Page] atte last men called it bathonia that is bathe / wil [...]l. de pon̄. li. ij. In this cite welleth vp and springeth hote bathes and men wene that Iulius cezar made there suche bathes / R / But Gaufe [...]. mone mutensis in his britons book seyth that Bladud made [...]hilke ba­thes because that william hath not seen that britons book wrote so by tellyng of othir men / or by his owne g [...]essing as he wrote othir thinges not best auisedly / Therfore it semeth more sothly that bladud made not the hote bathes / n [...] Iulius cezar dide suche a dede though bladud bilde and made the cyte / but it accordeth better to [...]endly reson that the water renneth in the erthe by veynes of b [...]y ms [...]on and sulphur and so is kendly made [...]oot [...] in that cours & springeth vp in diuerse places of the cite / And so ther ben [...]oot bathes that wassheth of tetres foores and skabbis / Treuisa / Though men myght by craft make hote bathes for to dure longe y nough this accordeth well to reson and to philosophye that treteth of hote welles and bathes that ben in diuerse londes though the water of this bath be more trobly and sourer of sauour and of smelle than othir hote bathes ben that I haue seen at akon in Almayn And at Eyges in sauoye / whiche ben fair and clere as ony cold welle streme / I haue ben bathed therin and assayed them / R / Claudius cezar maried his doughter to Aruiragus kyng of britons / This Claudius cezar bilded gloucestre in the weddyng of his doughter Britons called this cite first after Claudiꝰ name / but afterward hit was called glouc [...]stre after one glora / which was duke of that contrey / and stondeth vpon seuarn in the marche of Englond and wales / Shrowesbury is a cite vpon seuarne in the marche of englond and wales. y sette vpon the toppe of an hylle / And it is called shrowesbury of shrobles and fruyt that grewe there somtyme on that hille / Britons cleped it somtyme pengwern / that is the hede of a faire tree / Shrowesbury was somtyme the hede of powesie that stretcheth forth thwert ouer the myddell of wales vnto the Iussh see / Notyngham stondeth vpon trente and somtyme heet Snotyngham that is the wonnyng of dennes for the danes duel [...]d there somtyme and dygged dennes and caues vnder hard stones and rockes and dnelled there / R / Lyncoln is chief of the prouynce of lyndesaye / and was callid somtyme Caerludcoyt / & afterward lyndeoolyn / It is vncerteyn who bilded first this cite but yf it were kyng lud / and so it semeth by menyng of the na­me / for Caer is britissh aud is to saye a cite and coyt is a wode / and so it semeth that Caerludcoyt is to saye luddes wode toune­kyng [Page] [...]dgar come thider somtyme with vij. kynges y^• were subget to him A metrer breketh out in this maner in praysing of this cite / Clestre castell toune as it were / name taketh of a castell / It is vnknowe what man bild this cite now / Tho begecestria chees / hete now toune of legiones / Now walssh and englissh, holde this toune of grete pris / Stones on walle / semeth werke hercu [...]s all / ther longe with myght / to dure that hepe is y hight / Saxon small sto­nes / sette vpon grete ben attones / Ther vnder grounde / lotyng double vout is founde / that helpeth with sondes / many men of western londes / Fyssh flessh and corne low / this cite toun hath y now / shippes and chaffare / see water bringeth ynough thare / Godestalle ther is / that was Emperour er this / And ferth henry kyng / erthe is there righten duellyng / Of kyng haralde / pouder is ther yet y halde / Bachus and mercurius / Mars and venus / also lauerna / Protheus and pluto regnen there in the toune / Treuisa / God wote what this is to mene / but poetes in her maner of speche feynen as though euery kynde craft and lyuyng had a diuerse god euerich from othir / And so they feyned a god of bataill and of fighting and callid hym mars / and a god of couetise of richesse and marchandise / and called hym mercurius And so bachus he called god of wyn / Venus goddesse of loue and beaute / lauerna god of thefte and of robberye Protheus god of falshede and of gyle and Pluto god of helle / And so it semeth that these verses wold mene / that these forsaid goddes regne and ben serued in chestre / Mars with fyghtyng and cokkyng / Mercurius with couetise of richesse and marchandyse / Bachus with grete drynkyng / Venus with loue lewdly / Lauerna with theft and robberye / Protheus with falshe de and gyle / Thenne is Pluto not vnserued god of helle / R / Ther babilon lore more myght hath trouthe the more

TAke hede that englond contryneth xxxij. shyres and pro­uynces that now ben called erldoms reserued Cornewayle & the Ilondes Alfre. These ben the names of the erldom & shires / Kente Southsex Sotherey Hampshire Barokshire that hath his name of a bare ook that is in the forest of wyndesore / for at that bare ook / men of that shire were wonte come to ged [...]es and make theyr tretis / & there take counceyll & aduys / Also wyldshyre that heet somtyme the prouynce of Semeran / Somersete / Dorsete Deuenshyre that now is called Deuonia in latin / These ix. southshyres the Tamyse departed from the othir dele of englond whiche [Page] were somtyme gouerned and reuled by the westsayons lawe / Eestsex myddelsex southfolk northfolk hertfordshyre huntingdon shyre Northampton shyre Cambriggeshyre / Bedfordshire Buy­kynghamshire Leycestreshire Derbyshire Notingham shire Lyn­colnshire Yorkeshire Durhamshire Northumberland Caerleylshire with Cumberlond Appelbyshire with westmerlond / Lancastershire that conteyneth fyne litell shires / These xv. north and Eestshires were somtyme gouerned and reuled by that lawe whiche is called danelawe But Oxenford shire warwykshire gloucestreshire wircestreshire herfordshire shropshire staffordshire chestreshire These viij. myddell and west shires were somtyme gouerned and reuled by the lawe called Mercia in latin and merchene lawe in englissh / It is to wete that yorkshire stretcheth from the Ryuer of of humbre vnto the riuer of Teyse / And yet in yorkshire ben xxij. hondredis hundred and candred is all one / Candred is one word made of walssh and Irissh / and is to menyng a contrey that conteyneth an hondred touncs / and is also in englissh called wepen­tak / for somtyme in the comyng of a new lord / tenauntes were wonte to yelde vp her wepen in stede of homage / Duramshire stretcheth from the Ryuer Teyse vnto the riuer of Tyne / And to speke proprely of Northumberlond it stretcheth fro the riuer of Tyne vnto the riuer of Twede that is in the begynnyng of scotland / Then yf the contrey of Northumberland that was sommetyme from humbre vnto twede be now acounted for one shire and one Erledome as it was sommetyme / Thenne ben in Englond but xxxij. shires / but if the contre of Northumberland be departed in to vj. shires / that hen Euerwykshire Duramshire Northumberlond Caerleylshire Appelbyshire and lancasshire / Thenne ben in englond xxxvj. shires withoute Cornewayle and also withoute the Ilondes / Kyng william conquerour made alle these prouynces and shires to be descreued and moten / Thenne were founden xxxvj. shires and half a shire / Tounes two and fifty thousand foure score Parissh chirches xlv. M. and two / Knyghtes fees lxxv. M. wherof men of religion haue xxviij. M. xv. knyghtes fees / But now woodes ben hewen doun and the londe newe tilled & made moche more than was at that tyme and many tounes and villages bylded / and so ther ben many mo villages and tounes now than were in that tyme / And where as afore is wreton that Cornewayle is not sette among the shires of Englond / it may stonde among them well ynough / for it is neyther to wales neyther in [Page] scotland but is in englond and Ioyneth to deuenshire And so may ther ben acompted in englond xxxvij. shires and an half with the othir shires.

[...]Vnwallo that heet Moliuncius also made first lawes in Britayne the whiche lawes were calle moliuncius lawes / and were solempnly obserued vnto william conquerours tyme / Moliuncius ordeyned amonge his lawes / that citees temples and weyes that lede men therto / and plowmen solowes shold haue priuilege & fredome for to saue all men that wold flee therto for socour and refuge / Thenne afterward Marcia quene of britons that was gwytelinus wyf of her the prouynce had the name mercia as somme men suppose / She made a lawe full of right of wytte and of reson / and was called merchene lawe / Gildas that wrote the histories of britons torned these two lawes oute of briton speche in to latin / And afterward kyng Aluredus tor­ned all oute of latin in to Saxons speche / and was called mer­chene lawe / Also the same kyng Aluredus wrote in englissh and put to anothir lawe that heet westsaxon lawe Thenne afterward danes were lordes in this londe / and so come forth the thirde lawe that heet dane lawe / Of these thre lawes seint Edward the thirde made one commune lawe that yet is called seint Edwardes lawe I holde it well done to write here and expoune many termes of these lawes / Myndebruche / hurting of honour and worshipp / In frenssh bheschur dhonnour / Burbrucg in frenssh bleschur de court ou de cloys / Grithbruch brekyng of pees / Myskennyng changing of speche in court / shewyng settyng forth of marchandise in frensh Disp [...]oier de marchandyse / Hamsokne or hamfare a rese made in [...]ous / forstallyng wrong or lette don in the kynges hye waye / frith soken / sewrte in defence / Sak forfait Soka / sute of court / and ther of cometh / soken / Theam / sute of bondmen fyghtyngwyte Amerse­ment for fyghtyng / Blodewyte / Mersement for shedyng of blode [...]itwyte / amendes for chidyng of blode Leirwyte / amendes for lyeng by a bonde woman Guliwite / amendes for trespas / Scot a gadryng to werke of bayllies / Hidage / taillage for hydes of londe / Danegheld tayllage yei [...]en to the danes / that was of euery bona taterre, that is euery oxe londe thre pens / A wepentak and an houndred is all one / For the contre of tounes were wont to gyue vp wepen in the comyng of a lord / Lestage / custome y chalengid [Page] in chepiuges faires and stallage / custome for stonding in stretes in feire tyme

THe kyngdome of britayne stode withoute departing hole & all one kyngdom to the britone from the first brute vnto Iulius cezars tyme / and fro Iulius cezars tyme vnto Seuerus tyme this lond was vnder tribute to the romayns Netheles kynges they had of the same londe from seuerus vnto y^e last prince gracian successours of britons failled & romayns regned in britayne / Afterward the romayns lefte of her regning in britayn because it was fer from rome / & for grete besinesse that they had in othir side / Then scottes & pictes by misleding of Maximus the ty­raunt pursiewed britayne & werred therin with grete strengthe of men of armes longe tyme vnto the tyme that the saxons come atte praing of the britons ayenst the pictes / & put oute Gurmonde the Irissh kyng with his pictes & the britons also with her kyng that heet Careticus & drofe hem out of englond in to wales / & so the saxons were victours / & euery prouynce after his strengthe made hē a kyng / And so departed englond in to vij. kyngdome Netheles afterward those vij. kyngdoms euery after othir come alle in to one kyngdome all hool vnder the [...]nce adelstone / Neuertheles the danes poursued this lond fro Adelwolfis tyme that was Aluredes fa­der vnto the thirde seint Edwardes tyme about C. ixx. yere that regned therin continuelly xxx. yere After the danes the iij. seint Edward regned therin xxiij. yere & a litill more And after him harald helde the kyngdome ix. monethes / & after hem Normans haue reg­ned vnto this tyme / But how longe they shall regne / he wote / to whom no thing is vnknowen / R / Of the forsaid vij. kyngdomes of her merkes meres and boundes whan they began & how longe they endured here shall I som what shortly telle / Alfre. The firste kyngdome was the kyngdome of kente / that stretcheth fro the cest Occean vnto the Fyuer of Tamyse / There regned the first hengistꝰ And began to regne by the acōpting of dionise the yere of our lord cccc. lv. that kyngdom dured ccc. lviij. yere vnder xv. kyngis vnto the tyme that baldrede was put out & egbert kyng of westsaxon Ioyned y^e kyngdom to his owne The .ij. kyngdom was of southsaxon y^t had in the est side kente in the south the see & the Ile of wyght in y^e west hāpshire & in the north sothery ther ella regned first with [Page] his thre sones / And began to regne the yere after the comyng of the angles euen xxx. But that kyngdome within a short tyme passed in to othir kyngdoms / The thrydde kyngdome was of eestsaxon / aud had in thee est syde the see / in the west the contrey of lon­don / in the south Tamyse / in the north southfolke / The kynges of this contrey estsaxon fro the first sebertes tyme vnto the tyme of the Danes were ten kynges whiche were subget somdell to othir kyngis / Netheles oftest and lengest they were vnder the kyngis of Mercia / and vnto that tyme that Egbert kyng of westsaxon Ioyned that kyngdome to his owne / The fourthe kyngdome was of eest anglis and conteyned Norffolk and suffolk / and had in the Eest syde and in the north the see / in the northwest Cambrigeshyre / in the west seint Edmondes dyche and herfordshire / And in the south Estsex / This kyngdome dured vnder twelue kyngis vnto the tyme that kyng Edmond was slayne / And thenne the danes toke wrongfully bothe the kyngdoms of eest anglis and of Eestsaxon / Afterward the danes were putte and driuen away or made subgette / And the elder kyng Edward Ioyned bothe the kyngdoms to his owne / The fyfthe kyngdome was of west­saxon and dured lengest of all these kyngdomes / and had in the eest side sonthsaxon / in the north Tamyse / in the south and west the see Oxcean / In that kyngdome regned Serdrik with his so­ne kenryk and began to regne the yere of our lord. v. C. xix. and after the comyng of angles lxxj. so seyth denys the othir kyngdo­mes passed in to this kyngdome / The sixte kyngdome was of mercia and was grettest of all / The markis and the meres therof were in the west side the riner dee fast by Chestre and seuarn fast by Shrowesbury vnto Bristowe in the este / the eest see / in the south Tamyse vnto london / In the north the riuer humbre And so westward and douneward vnto the riuer mersee vnto the corner of wirhall / there humbre falleth in to the west see / Penda wibbes so­ne regned first in this kyngdome / in the yere of our lord Ihesu crist vj. C. xxvj. so seyth denys / And fro the comyng of angles an C. lxxv. yere / This kyngdome dured vnder xviij. kynges aboute cc. lxiij. yere vnto the laste Colwulf / to the whiche Colwulf the da­nes betoke that kyngdome to kepe / whan Burdred the kyng was putte oute / but the elder Edward the kyng put out the danes & Joyned the kyngdome of mercia to his owne kyngdome Netheles atte beginnyng this kyngdome of mercia was de [...]rted in thre in west mercia / in myddell mercia & est mercia The vij. kyngdom was [Page] Northambimbror [...] that is the kyngdome of Northumberlond / the meres and markes therof were by west & by eest the see of Occean by south the Ryuer of humbre and so douneward toward the west by thendes of the shires of notingham & of derby vnto the riuer of Mersee / & by north the scottissh see / that heet forthe in scot­tissh / weris in britissh / the scottissh see in englissh / This kyngdome of Northumberland was first deled in two prouynces / that one was the south side & heet deyra / & that othir was the north side & heet brenicia / as it were two kyngdoms / And the riuer departed these two kyngdoms that tyme / for the kyngdome of deyra was from the Riuer of humber vnto the riuer of Tyne / The kyngdome of brenicia was fro tyne to the scottissh see / And whan pictes duelled there as Beda saith li. iij. ca. ij. that Ninian that holy man conuerted men of the south side / I [...] the kyng regned there first and began to regne the yere of our lord v. C. xlvij. so seith dyonise / In deyra regned kyng Elle the yere of our lord v. C. xlix. These two kyngdoms were othirwhile as it is said departed bitwene ij. kynges & somtyme all hool vnder one kynge / and dured as it were xx. Englissh kynges CCC. xxj. yere / Atte last Osburtus & Elle were slayne in the ix. yere of her kyngdome / the danes slowe hem / and Northumberlond was wyde withoute kyng viij. yere / Then afterward the danes regned in Northumberlond xxxvj. yere vnto the oonyng of the kyngdome Adelstone / he made subgette the kyn­ges danes scottissh and walssh / & regned first allone in Englond and helde the kyngdome of englond all hool and all one kyngdome that was the yere of our lord v. ij. C. xxvij. That riuer of Mersee was somtyme the marke and mere bitwene the kyngdome of mercia and the kyngdome of Northumberlond / that may be shewd in two maners / first by the properte of this mersee / that is as moche to saye as a see that is a bounde & a mere for it departeth one kyngdome from anothir / Also it is write in croniks of henry & of Al­frede / that kyng Edward the elder fastned a castell at mamcestre in Northumberlond / but that Cyte mamcestre is fro the Ryuer of mersee scarly. iij. myle

Lucius was the first kyng cristend of the britons / in his tyme were thre archebisshops sees in Britayne / one was at london / [...]nothir at york / and the thirde at Caerusk the [Page] Cyte of legions in glamergone / that Cyte now is called Carleon to these archebisshops sees were subgette xxviij. bisshops and were called flammes / to the archebisshops see of london was subgette Cornwaill & all myddell englond vnto humbre / To york all northhumberlond from the bowe of humbre with all scotlond / To Caer­leon alle wales / ther were in wales vij. bisshops & now ben but foure / Tho seuarne departed englond and wales / wilhel. de pon̄. li. j. but in saxons tyme though seint gregorie had graunted lon­don the priuerege of tharchebisshops see Netheles seint Austyn y^t was sente in to englond by seint Gregorie torned tharchebisshops see oute of london in to Caunterbury / After seint Gregories daye atte prayer of kyng athelbright and Citezeins and burgeyses of Caunterbury / there tharchebisshops see hath dured vnto now sa­ue that in the mene tyme Offa kyng of Mercia was wroth with men of Caunterbury / and benam hem that worshipp / and worshiped Adulph bisshopp of lichfeld with the archebisshops palle by assente of Adrian the Pope vpon [...]as by yeftes sende / Netheles vnder kenulph the kyng it was restored to Caunterbury agayn The worshipp of the see of york hath dured there alway and dured yet though scotland be withdrawe fro his subiection by passing of tyme / Gir. in itinere libro primo / The archebisshops see was ytor­ned oute of Ca [...]rleon in to Meneuia that is in the west side of de mecia vpon the Irissh see in seint dauids tyme vnder kyng Ar­thur / From seint dauids tyme vnto sampsons tyme were in Me­neuia archebisshops xxiij. Afterward fyll a pestilence in all wa­les of the yelow euyll / that is called the Iaundis And then [...] son the Archebisshopp toke with him the palle and wente in to britayne Armonica the lasse Britayne and was there bisshopp of do leusis / From that tyme vnto the first harryes tyme kyng of En­glond were at meneuia which is called seint dauids xvj. bisshops all without palle / whether it were for vnconnyng or for pouerte / Netheles alway fro that tyme the bisshops of wales were sacred of the bisshopp of meneuia of seint dauies / & the bisshop of meneuia was sacred of the bisshops of wales as of his suffrigans & made no profession ne subiection to none othir chirche / Other bisshoppes that come afterward were sacred at Caunterbury by compelling and heest of the kyng / in token of that sacryng and subiection boneface archebisshopp of Caunterbury that was legate of the crosse songe in euery Cathedrall chirche of wales solempnly / Amas he was the first archebisshop of caunterbury that so dide in wales / & [Page] that was done in the seconde harryes tyme / R / But now ben but two primates in all englond of caunterbury & of york / To the pri­mate of Caunterbury ben subget xiij. bisshops in englond & four in wales The primate of york hath but two suffrigans in englond that ben the bisshops of Caerleyll and of durham / Of all these se­es and chaunyng of her places I shall shewe you hir folowyng Take hede in the begynnyng of holy chirche in englond bisshops ordeyned their sees in lowe places and simple that were couenable for contemplacion for prayers and deuocion / But in william cō querours tyme by dome of lawe Canon it was ordeyned that bisshops shold come oute of smale tounes in to grete Citees / Therfor was the see of dorchestre chaunged to lyncoln / lychfeld to chestre Tetford to Norwych / Shirborn to Salisbury / welles to Bathe / Cornwayll to Exestre / and selesey to Chichestre / The bisshoppe of Rochestre hath no parissh but he is tharchebisshops chapelayn of Caunterbury / Sith the see of Caunterbury was first ordeyned by seint Austyn / it chaunged yet neuer his place / Chichestre hath vnder hym only southsex and the Ile of wight / And had his see first in selesey in the tyme of tharchebisshopp Theodore / And the see dured there CCC. xxxiij. yere vnder xx. bisshops fro the first wil frede vnto the last stygande / atte commaundemeut of kyng williā conqueroure chaunged the see fro selesey to Chichestre

BRytons duelled first in this Ilonde the xviij. yere of hely the ꝓphete / the xj. yere of Soluius posthumus kyng of latins / xliij. yere after the takyng of Troye / to fore the byldyng of rome CCCC. xxxij. yere. Beda li. j. They come heder and toke her cours from Armorik that now is that oth [...]r britayn / they helde longe tyme the south contreyes of the Ilonde / hit befell afterward in vaspasianus tyme duke of Rome / that the pictes shipped out of scicia in to Occean / & were driuen aboute with the wynde & entred in to the north costes of Irlond & fonde there scottes and prayde to haue a place to duelle inne / & myght none gete / For Irlonde as scottes saide myght not susteyne bothe peple / Scottes sente the pictes to the northsides of Britayne / and behight them helpe ayenst the Britons that were their enemyes yf they wolde arise / & toke hem wyues of her doughtres / vpon suche condicion yf doubt [...] fylle / who shold haue right for to be kyng / they shold rather che­se hem a kyng of the moder side / than of the fadre side / of the wy [...] men kyn rather than of the men kyn / Gaufre / In vaspasian the Emperours tyme whan Marius Aruiragns sone was kyng of britons One Rodryk kyng of pictes cam out of scicia and gan to [Page] destroye scotland / thenne Marius the kyng slew this roderik and yaf the north partie of scotlande that heet Cat [...]enesia to the men y^• were come with roderik and were ouercome by hym for to duelle Inne / But these men had no wyues ne none myght haue of the nacion of britons / therfor they sailled in to Irlande & toke to theyr wyues Irisshmens doughtres by that couenaunt that the moder blode shold be put to fore in succession of heritage / Gir. ca. xvij. Ne­theles Sirinus suꝑ Virgi [...]ū seyth that pictes ben agatirses that had somme duellyng place aboute the waters of Scicia / and they ben called pictes of peynting and smyting of woundes that ben sene on her body / So that they semed as men were peynted with woundes therfore they were called pictes as peynted men / These men and these gothes ben all one peple / For whan Maximus the tyrant was wente oute of britayne in to fraunce for to ocupye thē pire / Thenne gracianus and valentinianus that were bretheren & felaws of thempyre bronght these gothes oute of Scicia with grete yeftes with flateryng and fayre [...]ehestes in to the northcontrey of britayne / For they were stal worth and stronge men of armes / And so these theuys & [...]ribours were made men of londe & of contre and duelled in the north contreyes and helde there cites & tounes Gaufre. Carancius the tyrant slowe bassianus by helpe and tre­son of the pictes that come in helpe and socour of bassianus / and yaf the pictes a duellyng place in albania that is scotlande / there they duelled longe tyme afterward y medled with britons R / Thenne sith that pictes ocupied first the north side of scotlonde It semeth that the duellyng place that this Carans [...]us yaf hem is the south side of scotlande that stretcheth from the thwert ouer wall of romayns werk to the scottyssh see / and conteyneth Galleway and lodouia that is lodeway / Therof Beda li. iij. ca. ij. speketh in this maner / Nynyan the holy man conuerted the south pictes / Afterward the Saxons come and made that contrey longe to bremcia the north partie of Northumberland / vnto the tyme that kynadiꝰ Alpinus sone kyng of scotland put oute the pictes / and made that contrey that lyeth bitwene twede and the scottyssh see longe to his kyngdome / Beda li. j. c [...]. j. Afterward longe tyme the scot­tes were led by duke renda / and come oute of Irlonde that is the propre contrey of scottes and with loue or with strength made hem a place fast by the pictes in the northside of that arme of the see / that breketh in to the londe in the west side that departed in olde tyme bitwene britons and pictes / Of this duke kend [...] the scottes [Page] had the name and were called dalrendines as it were Rendaes part / For in hir speche a part is called dal / Gir. p̄. the pictes might haue no wyues of britons / but they toke hem wyues of Irissh scottes and promysed hem fair for to duelle with hem / and graunted hem a londe by the see syde / there the see is narow / that londe is cal­led now Gallewaye / Marianus / Irissh scottes londed at argayll that is scottyn clif for scottes londed there for to doo harme to the britons / or for that place is next to Irlonde for to come a londe in to Britayne / Beda / And so the scottes after the britons and pictes made the thirde peple duellyng in britayne / R / Thenne after that come the saxons atte prayng of the britons / to helpe hem ayenst the scottes and pictes / And the britons were sone put oute in to wa­les / and saxons ocupied the londe lytill and litill / and efte more to the scottyssh see / And so saxons made the fourthe maner of men in the Ilonde of britayn / Beda li. v. ca. ix. For saxons and angles come oute of Germania / yet somme britons that duellen nygh calle hem shortly germans / R / Netheles aboute the yere of our lord viij. C. Egbertus kyng of westsaxon commaunded and badde all men to calle the men of the londe englisshmen / Alfre. Thenne after that the danes pursued the londe aboute a cc. yere / that is for to say fro the forsaid Egbertes tyme / vnto seint Edwardes tyme / & ma­de the fyfthe maner of peple in the Ilonde / but they faylled after­ward / Atte last come normans vnder duke william and subdued englisshmen / and yet kepe they the londe / and they made the sixte pe­ple in the Ilonde / But in the first kyng harryes tyme come many flemynges and receyued a duellyng place for a tyme beside maylros in the west side of englond / and made the seuenthe peple in the Ilonde / Netheles by commaundement of the same kyng they were put thennes and driurn to hauerfordes side in the west side of wales / R / And so now in britayne danes and pictes fayllen all oute and fyue nacions duelle therin that ben scottes in Albania / that is scotland / Britons in Cambria / that is wales / but that flemynges duelle in that is west wales / And Normans and englisshmen ben medled in all the Ilonde / for it is now doubte in storyes how & in what maner they were put away & destroied oute of britayne / Now it is to declare how the pictes were destroied & faylled / Gir. p̄. ca. xvij. Britayne was somtyme ocupied with saxons / & pees was made and stablisshed with the pictes / thenne the scottes that come with the pictes saw that the pictes were nobler of dedes and better men of armes though they were lasse in nombre than the [Page] scottes / Thenne the scottes hauyng therof enuye torned to their na­turell treson that they haue ofte [...]sid / for in treson they passe othir men / and ben traitours as it were by kynde / for they prayde all the pictes specially the grete of hem to a feste / & wayted her tyme whan the pictes were mery & had well dronke / they drewe vp nayles y^• helde vp holow benches vnder the pites and the pictes vnware & sodenly fy [...] in ouer the hamm [...]s in to a wondrefull pitfall / Thenne the scottes fyll on the pictes & slow hem & [...]fte none alyue And so of two peple the better werriours were hooly destroyed / But the other that ben the scottes which ben traitours all vnlike to the pi­ctes toke proffyte by that fals treson / for they toke all that londe & holde it yet vnto this tyme and calle it scotland after hir owne name / In kyng Edgarus tyme kynadius aspinns sone was duke and leder of the scottes & werred in picte londe & destroyed the pi­ctes / he werred sixe sithes in saxon & toke all the londe that is bi­twene twede & the scottissh see with wronge & with strength [...]

AS it is knowen how many maner of peple ben in this Ilō de ther ben also so many langages and tonges / Netheles walssh & scottes that ben not medl [...]d with othir nacions kepe neyh yet their langage & speche / But yet the scottes that were somtyme cōfederate & duellid with pictes drawe somwhat aft their speche But the flēmynges y^• duelle in the west side of wales haue lefte her straung [...] speche & speken like to saxons / also englisshmen though they had fro the beginnyng thre maner speches / southern / northern & myddell speche in the myddell of the londe as they come of thre maner of peple of germania / Netheles by cōmixtion and medling first with Danes & afterward with Normans in many thinges the contre langage is appaired / for some vse strange wlaffing chitering harryng garryng & grisbyting / This appayring of the langage cometh of two thinges / ones because that children y^• gone to scole lerne to speke first englissh / & than ben compellid to cō strewe her lessons in frenssh & that haue ben vsed syn the normans com [...] in to englond / Also gentilmens children ben lerned & taught frō their yongth to speke frēssh / & vp londissh mē wyll coūterfete & likene hem selfe to gentilmen / & arn besy to speke frēssh for to be more sette by / wherfor it is said by a comyn preerbe / Iack wold be a gētilmā if he coude speke frēssh / Cre. this was moche vsed to for y^• [Page] grete deth / but sith it is somdele chaunged / for sir Iohan Corne­wayll a maister of gramer chaunged the techyng of gramer scole & constructton of frenssh in to englissh And othir scolemaiestrs vse the same way now in the yere of our lord. M. CCC. lxxxv. the ix. yere of kyng Richard the seconde / & leue all frenssh in scoles & vse alle construction in englissh / wherin they haue auantage one way that is that they lerne the sonner their gramer And in anothir disauauntage / for now they lerne no frenssh ne can none / whiche is hurte for them that shall passe the see / And also gentilmen haue moche lefte to teche their children to speke frenssh / R / Hit semeth a grete wonder that englissh haue so grete duiersite in their owne lā ­gage in soune and in spekyng of it / whiche is all in one Ilonde / And the langage of normandie is comen oute of anothir lande / and hath one maner soune among alle them that speketh it in en­glond / for a man of kente / Sonthern western / & northern men speken frenssh all lyke in soune & speche / but they can not speke theyr englissh so / Creuisa / Netheles ther is as many diuerse maner of frenssh in the reame of fraunce / as diuerse englissh in the reame of englond / R / Also of the forsaid tonge which is departed in thre is grete wonder / for men of the eest with men of the west accorde [...]et [...] in sownyng of their speche / than men of the north with men of the south / Therfore it is that men of mercij that ben of myddell En­glond as it were partiners with the endes / vnderstande better the side langages northern & southern than northern & southern vn­derstande eyther othir / Wilhel. de pon̄. li. iij. Alle the langages of the northumbres & specially at york is so sharp shittyng frotyng & vnshappe / that we sothern men may vnneth vnderstande that langage / I suppose the cause be that they be nygh to the aliens that speke strangely / And also by cause that the kyngis of englond a byde and duelle more in the south contrey / than in the north contre The cause why they abyde more in the south contre than in y^• north contre / is by cause that ther is better corn londe more peple / moo noble Citees / & moo prouffytable hauenes in the south contrey than in the north.

HYt is a comyn saw that the contre which is now named scotland / is an outstretchyng of the north ꝑtie of britayn & is deꝑted in the south side from britayne with armes of the see / Und in the othir side all aboute beclipped with the see / this londe heet somtyme albania / & had that name of albanactus / that was kyng brutus sone / for albanactus duelled first therin / or of the prouynce albania / that is a contre of Scicia & nygve to amazona / therfor scottes ben called as it were scittes / for they come out of Scicia / Afterward that londe beet pictauia for the pictes regned therin a thousand yere lxx. or as somme telle a M. CCC. lx. yere. And atte last beet hibernia as Irlonde heybte / Gir. in top. For many skyles / one skyl is for affynite & alye / that was bitwene them & Irisshmen / for they toke wyues of Irlond and that is openly seen in her bileue / in clothyng in langage & in speche / in wepen & in maners / Anothir skyl is for Irisshmen duelled there somtyme Beda li. j. Oute of Irlonde that is the propre contrey of scottes come Irisshmen with her duke that was called Renda / And with loue and with strength made hem chief sees aud citees besides the pictes in the northside / Gir. Now thee londe is shortly called Scot­land of scottes that come oute of Irlonde & regned therin CCC. xv. yere vnto the rede williams tyme that was Malooline broder / R / Many euydencis we haue of this scotland / that it is ofte cal­led and heyghte hibernia as Irlond doth / Therfore Beda libro. ij. ca xj. seyth that laurence Archebisshopp of dunbar was arche­bisshopp of scottes that duelled in an Ilonde that hete hibernia & is [Page] next to Britayne / Also Beda li. iij. ca. xxvij. seyth / Pestilence of mowyn bare doune hibernia / Also libro tercio ca. ij. seyth that the Scottes that duellid in the south side of hibernia Also libro quar to ca. iij. be se [...]th that chadde was a yonglyng and lerned the reule of monkes in hibernia / Also li. iiij. ca. xxij. Egfridus kyng of Northumberlond destroyed hibernia / Also li. iiij. ca. xv. The mosto dele of scottes in hibernia / And in the same chapitre he chepeth hi­bernia proprely named / that west Ilonde is an hondred myle from eueriche Britayne / and departeth with the see bitwene / and called hibernia that contrey that now is called scotlond / there he telleth that Adamuan Abbote of this Ilonde seyled to hibernia for to teche Irisshmen the lawfull esterday / And atte last come agayne in to scotlond / Ysidorus ethi. li. xiiij. Men of this scotlond ben na­med scott [...]s in their owne langage / and pictes also / For somme tyme her body was peynted in this maner / they wolde sommety­me with a sharpe egged tobe pricke and fierue her owne bodyes / and make theron diuerse figures and shappes and peynte hem with inke or with othir peynture or colour / and because they were so prynted they were called picti / that is to saye peynted / Erodo­tus / Scottes ben light of herte / strange and wylde ynough / But by medlyng of Englisshmen they ben moche amended / they ben cruell vpon theyr enemyes / and hateth bondage most of ony thing and holde for a foule slouthe yf a man deye in his bed / And gre­te worshipp if he deye in the felde / They ben licell of mete and mowe fast longe / And then selde whan the sunne is vp / And eten flesh fissh mylke and fruyt more than breed / And though they be fayre of shappe / they ben defouled and made vnsemely ynough with theyr owne clothyng / They prayse fast the vsages of their owne forfndres / And despysen othir mennes doyng / her londe is fruyte full ynough in pasture / gardyns and feeldes / Giraldus de p. co [...] xv. ij. The princes of Scottes as the kynges of spayne bene not wonte to ben enoynted ne crouned / In this Scotlond is solemp ne aud grete mynde of seint Andrew the appostle / For seint An­drew had the north contreres of the world scytes and Pictes to his lotte for to preche and conuerte the peple to Cristes beleue And at the laste he was martred in Achaia in grecia in a Cyte that was named Patras / And his boones were kepte two hon­derd two and seuenty yere vnto Constantinus the Emperonrs tyme / And thenne they were translated in to Constantinople and kept there C. x. yece vnto Theodostꝰ themꝑours tyme Then vngust [Page] kyng of pictes in scotland destroied a grete partie of britayne and was besette with a grete hoost of britons in a feld called merke / & he herd seint Andrew speke to hym in this maner / Vngus vngꝰ here thou me cristes apostle I ꝓmyse the helpe & socour / whan thou hast ouercomen thyn enemyes by my helpe / thou shalt yeue the this de debe of thyn beritage in almesse to god almyghty & in worshipp of seint Andrew / and the signe of the crosse wente to fore his ooste and the thirde day he had victorie and so torned home ayene / and deled his heritage as he was boden / And for he was vncertayne what cite he shold dele for seint Andrew / he fasted thre dayes / he & his men prayd seint Andrew that he wold shewe hym what place he wold chese / And one of the wardeyns that kept the body of seint Andrew in Constantinople was warned in his sweuene y^• he shold goo in to a place whider an angele wold lede him / & so he come in to scotland with vij. felaws to y^• toppe of an hille named Ragmund / The same hour lighte of heuen bishone and biclipped the kyng of pictes / that was comyng with his hoost to a place called Carceuan / There anone were heled many seke men There met with the kyng Regulus the monke of Constantinople with the reliques of seint Andrew / There is founded a chirche in worshipp of seint Andrew that is hede of alle the chirches in the londe of pictes that is Scotland / To this chirche comen pilgryms oute of all londes / There was Regulus first abbot & gadred monkes / And so alle the tienthe lond that the kyng had assigned him / he depar­te it in diuerce places amonge abbayes

HYbernia that is Irlonde / And was of olde tyme incorpe [...]ate in to the lordshipp of Britayne so seyth Giraldus in sua toppograuia / Where he discriueth it at fulle / Yet it is worthy and semely to prayse that londe with larger praysing / for to come to chere and full knoweleche of that londe these titles that folowe opene the weye / Therfore I shall telle of the place and ste­te of that londe how grete and what maner londe it is / wherof y^• [...]de hath plente / and wherof it hath defaute / also of what men that duelled therin first / Of maners of men of that londe / Of the wondres of that londe / aod of worthynes of halowes and seintes of that londe

[Page] IRloud is the last of all the west Ilondes & hihte hibernia of one hiberus of spayne that was hermoniꝰ broder / for these two brethern gate & wan that londe by conquest / Or it is callid hibernia of that riuer hiberus that is m the weste ende of spayne / & that londe heihte scotlond also / for scottes duellid there somtyme er they come in to that othir scotlond that longed to Bri­tayne / Therfore it is writen in the Martiloge / Such a oay in scot­lond seint Bryde was borne / & that was in Irlonde / This londe hath in the southest side spayne thre dayes saylling thennes a side half / & hath in the est side the more britayne thens a dayes saylling in the west side it hath the endeles Occean / and in the northside Ise­lond thre dayes saylling thens / Solinus / But the see that is bitwene britayne & Irlonde is all the yere full of grete wawes & vnesy / so that men may selde saille si [...]ly bitwene / that see is C. xx mybe brode

IRlonde is an Ilonde grettest after britayne / and stretcheth norward from brendans hilles vnto the londe Columbina & conteyneth viij. dayes Iourneyes / euery Iourney of xl. myle / and from deuelin to patrike hilles & to the see in that side in brede foure Iourneyes / and Irlonde is nawwer in the myddell than in thendes / all othirwyse than britayne is / as Irlonde is shorter northward than britayne / so is it lenger southward / the londe is not pleyne but full of montayns of hilles of wodes of mareys and of mores / The londe is softe rayny wyndy & lowr by the ser si­de & withinne hilly & sondy / Solinꝰ / ther is grete plente of noble pasture & of leese / therfor the beestes must be oft driuen out of their pasture beest they [...]te ouermoch for they shold shende hem self if they myght ete at their wyll / Girald men of that londe haue communely their helth and strangers haue ofte a perilous flux because of the moisture of the mete / The flessh of [...]ren is there holsome / and swynes flessh vnholsome / Men of that londe haue no feuer but only the feuer ague & that right selde Therfor the holsomnes & helthe of that londe & the clennes out of venyme is worth all the hoost & richesse of trees of herbes of spycerie / of riche clothes / & of precious stones of the est londes The can [...]e of the helthe & holsomnrs of that londe is y^• attēꝑate hete & colde that is therin In qui (bus) re (bus) sufficit [Page] In this londe ben mo kyne than oxen / more pasture than corne / more gras than seed / There is grete plente of samon / of lamprayes / of Eelis and of othir see fissh / Of egles of cranes / of pecokes / of cur­lewes / of sperhaukes / of goshaukes and of gentill fawcons / Of wolues and right shrewd myse / Ther ben attercoppes / blode sou­kers and ecftes that doon none harme / Ther ben feyres lytill of body and full hardy and stronge / Ther ben bernacles fowles lyke to wylde ghees / whiche growen wonderly vpon trees / at it were na­ture wrought agayn kynde / men of religion eteth bernacles on fastingdayes because they ben not engendrid with flessh / wherein as me thinketh they erre / for reson is ayenst that / For yf a man had eten of Adams begge he had eten flessh / and yet Adam was not engendrid of fader and moder / But that flessh come wonderly of therthe / and so this flessh cometh wonderly of the tree In this londe is plente of hony and of mylke of wyne and of vyneyerdes / Solinus and Ysidorus writen that Irlonde hath no bees / Nethe­les it were better writen that Irlonde had [...]ees and no vynyerdes Also Beda seyth that ther is grete hunting to roobuckes And it is y knowe that there ben none / It is no wonder of Beda for he saw neuer that londe / but somme man had told hym suche tales / Also ther groweth that stone Saxagonus and is called Iris also as it were the rayn bowe / yf that stone be holde agaynst the sonne a none it shall shape a raynbowe / ther is also founden a stone that is called gagates and white margery perles

WHete cornes ben there full small vnnethe yclensed with mannes hond / Reserued men / alle bestes ben smaller ther than in othir londes / Ther lacketh well nygh alle maner fyssh of fresshe water that is not gendrid in the see Ther lacken vnkynde faucons / gerfaucons / partrychis fesaunte / Nyghtyngals & pyes / Ther lacken also Roo and bucke and Ilespiles wontes and othir venymous bestes / Therfore sommen feynen and that fauourably that seint patryk clensed that lond of wormes and of veny­mous bestes / but it is more probable and more skylfull that this londe was from the beginnyng alway withoute suche wormes / for venemous bestes and wormes dyen ther anone yf men bringe hem thiter oute of othir londes And also venyme and poyson brought thider oute of othir londes lesen theyr malice as sone as it passeth [Page] the myddell of the see / Also poudr [...] and erthe of that londe caste & sawen in othir londes driuen away wormes so ferforth that yf a turf of that lond be put aboute a worme / it sleth hym or maketh hym thrille the erthhe for tescape away / In that londe cockes crow but litill to fore day / so that the first crowyng of cockes in that londe and the thirde in othir londes ben like ferre to fore the day

GYraldus seyth that Casera Nors nece drad the flode and fledde with thre men and fyfty wymmen in to that Ilonde and duelled therin first the last yere to fore Noes flo­de / But afterward Bartholanus Seres sone that come of Ia­phet Noes sone come thether with his thre sones by happe or by crafte / CCC. yere after Noes flode and duelled there and encreced to the nombre of ix. M. men / And afterward for stenche of ka [...]eyns of geantes that they had kyld they deyden alle saue one Ruanuz that lyued a thousand and V. C. yere vnto seint patriks tyme / and enformed the holy man of the forsaid men and of all their doyngis and dedes / Thenne the thirde tyme come thider Nymeth oute of scicia with his foure sones and duelled there two houndred yere and xvj. And atte last of his ofspring by diuerse myshappes of werres and of moreyne they were clene destroied and the londe lefte wyde CC. yere after / The fourthe tyme fyue dukes that were bre­theren / Gandius / Genandus / Saganduis / Ruth [...]ragus / Slauiꝰ / of the forsaid Nimethis successours come oute of Grece and ocu­pied that londe and deled it in fyue parties / And euery partye conteyned xxij. candredes / A candrede is a contre that conteyneth an houndred tounes / And they sette a stone in the myddell of the londe as it were in the nauell and beginnyng of fyue kyngdomes Atte last Slauius was made kyng of all the londe / The fyfthe tyme whā this nacion was xxx. yere to gedyr they wexe feble Four noble men that were Millesius the kyngs sones come oute of spayne with many othir in a naueye of lx. shippes / And two of the worthiest of these foure brethern that hete Hiberus and Hermon deled the lond bitwene hem tweyne / But afterward couenaunt was broken bitwene hem bothe and Hiberus was slawe / Thenne Hermon was kyng of all that londe / And from his tyme to the first patriks tyme were kynges of that nacion C. xxxj. And so fro the comyng of the hybermensis vnto the first patrik were a M. [Page] yere & viij. C. They had that name hibermences and hibernia of the forsaid hiberus or els of hiberus a riuer of spayne / they were called also Gaytels and scottes / of one gaytelus that was phenius neuew / This gaytelus coude speke many langages / after the langages that were made at nemproths tour / and wedded one scot­ta phawes doughter / Of these dukes come the hibermensis / Men saie that this gaytelus made the Irissh langage and called it gaytelaf as it were a langage gadred / of all langages and ton­ges / Atte last Belinus kyng of Britayne had a sone hihte gur guncius / As this Gurguncius come oute of denmarke atte Ilon­des Orcades / he fonde men that were called basclensis and were come thider oute of spayne / thyse men prayde and besoughte for to haue place to duelle inne / And the kyng sente hem to Irlonde that was tho wyde and waste / and ordeyned and sente with hem dnkes and capitaynes of his owne / And so it semeth that Ir­londe shold longe to Britayne by right of olde tyme / From the first seynt patrik vnto Fedliundius the kynges tyme CCCC. ye­re / regned xxxiij. kynges euerich after othir in Irlonde / In this Fedliundius tyme Turgesius duke and captayne of Norweyes brought thider men of Norweye and ocupied that londe and made in many places depe diches & castels sengle double and treble and many wardes strongly walled / and many therof stonde yet alle hole / but Irisshmen recche not of castels / for they take woodes for castels and mareys and mores for castell diches / But atte laste Turgesius deyde by gylefull wyles of women / and Englisshmen seyne that Gurmundus wan Irlonde & made thilke diches / and ma ke no mencion of Turgesias / and Irisshmen speke of turgesiꝰ and knowe not of Gurmundus Therfor it is to wete that gurmū dus had wonne britayne & duellid therin / and sende Turgesius with grete strength in to Irlonde for to wynne that londe / and bycause Turgesius was captayne & leder of that viage & Iourney and seen amonge them Therfore Irisshmen speke moche of hym as a noble man that was seen in that londe and knowen / Atte laste whan Gurmundus was slayne in fraunce / Turgesius loued the kynges doughter of mete in Irlonde / & her fader behihte Turgesiꝰ that he wold sende her him to the lowe larherin with xv. maydens And Turgesius promysed to mete there with xv. of the nobleste men that he had / and helde couenaunt and thought no gyle / but ther come xv. yong berdles men clothed like wymmen with short swerdes vnder her clothes / & fille on Turgesius & slowe him right [Page] there and so he was traitoursly slayne after he had regned xxx. yere / Not longe after thre brethern Amelanus Siracus & Iuorus come in to Irlond with hir men oute of Norwey as it had ben for soue of pees and of marchandyfe and duellid by the see sides by assente of Irisshmen / that were alway ydle as poules knyghtes / And the Norwayes bilded thre citees / Deuelin Waterford and lymerich and encreced and after wexe rebell ayenst men of that londe and brought first sparthes in to Irlond / So fro Turgesiꝰ tyme vnto Rotheriks tyme kyng of Connaccia that was the last that was kyng of all the londe were xvij. kynges in Irlonde And so the kynges that regned in Irlonde from the first hermons tyme vnto the laste Rotheriks tyme were in all an C. lxxxj. kynges y^• were not crouned nethir enoynted ne by lawe of heritage / but by myght maistrye and by strength of armes The seconde harry kyng of englond made this Rotherik subgete the yere of kyng harryes age fourty / and of his regne xvij / the yere our lord xj. C. lxxij.

SOlinus seyth that men of this londe ben strange of nacōn houseles and grete fighters / and acounte right & wrong all for one thyng / and ben single of clothyng / scarse of mete cruel of herte / angri of speche / and drinketh first blode of dede men that ben slayne / and thenne wesshen their visages ther with and holde hem payd with flessh & fruyt in stede of mete and with mylke in stede of drynke / And vsen moche pleyeng Idlenes and hunting and trauaylle but litell In their childhode they ben hard norisshed and hard fed and they be vnfemely of maners and of clothyng and haue breche and hosen allone of wolle & strayte hodes that stretcheth a cubite ouer the sholdres behynde and foldinges in stede of mantels & of clokes / Also they vse no sadles / boo­tes ne spores whan they ryde / but they driue their horses with a chambred yerd in the ouer ende / In stede of bittes with trenches & of badles of reest / they vse bridles that lette not their horse to ete their mete / They fighte vnarmed naked in body / netheles with ij. dartes & speres / & with brode sparthes they fight with one hande / These men forsake tylyeng of londe and kepen pasture for beestes / they vse longe herdes & longe lockes hangyng doune behinde her hedes / They vse no crafte of flaxe / of wolle / of metall / ne of marchā dyse / but yeue hem to Idlenes & to slouthe / & rekene roste for liking [Page] and fredome for richesse / And though scotlond the doughter of Illonde vse harpe tymbre & talour / Netheles Irisshmen be connyng in two maner instrumentis of mustke / in harpe & tymbre that is armed with wyre & strenges of brasse / In whiche instrumentis though they plaxe hastely & swyftly they make right mery armonye & melodye with thicke tewnes werbles & notes / & beginne frō bemol & playen secretly vnder dyme soune in the grete strenges / & torne ayene vnto the same / so that the grettest ꝑtie of the craft hy­deth the craft / as it wolde seme as though the craft so hidde sholde be ashamed if it were take / These men [...] of euyll maners in her lyuyng / they paye no tithinges they wedde lawfully / they spare not their alyes / but the brother wedded the brothers wyf / they ben besy for to betraye her neyhbours & other / they here sparthes in their londes in stede of staues & fighte ayenst them / that truste moste to them / These men ben variable and vnstedfast trechours & gylefull who that deleth with them / nedeth more to beware of gyle / than of craft of pecs than of brennyng brondes / of hony than of galle / of malice than of knyghthode / they haue such maners that they ben not stronge in werre & in bataill ne trewe in pecs / they become gossibs to them / that they well falsely betraye in the gossibrede and holy kynrede / Euerich drinketh others blode whan it is shed They loue somdele her norice & her pleyfers whiche that souke the same mylke that they souked while they were children / And they pour siewe their brethern their cosins / and their othir kyn / And despi­sen their kyn whiles they lyue / and auenge their deth whan they ben slayne / So longe hath the vsage of euyll custome endured a­mong them / that it hath goten the mastrie ouer them & torneth tre­son in to kynde so ferforth that they ben traitours by nature / And aliens and men of straunge londes that duelle amonge them fo­lowen their maners that vnnethe ther is none but he is bismytted with their treson also / Amonge them many men pissen sitting and wymmen standyng / Ther ben many men in that londe foul shapen in lymiues and in body / For in their lymmes they lak the bene­fice of kynde So that no wher ben none better shapen than they that ben there well shapen / and none worse shapen than they that bene euyll shapen / And skylfully nature hurte & defouled by wyked­nes of lyuyng bringeth forth suche foule gromes & euyll shapen of bein that with vnlawfull delyng with foule maners & euyll lyuyng so wyckedly defouleth kynde & nature In this lond & in wales olde wyuce & wymen were wonte & ben yet as men seyne [Page] ofte for to shape them selfe in likenes of hares for to mylke their neyghbours kyne and stele her mylke / And ofte grehoundes rennen after them and poursiewe them and wenen that they be hares Also some by craft of Nygromancie maken fatte swyne for to be rede of colour and selle them in markettis & in feyres / But assone as these swyne passe ony water they torne in to their owne kynde whether it be strawe heye gras or turues But these swyne may not be kept by no craft for tendure in likenes of swyne ouer thre dayes Amonge these wondres & othir take bede that in the vttermest en­de of the worlde falleth ofte new meruailles and wondres / As though kynde pleyde with larger loue secretly & fex in thendes / that openly & neyh the myddell / therfore in this Ilonde ben many grysly wondres and meruailles

MAny men tellen that in the northside of Irlonde is the londe of lyf / In that Ilonde noman may deye / but whā they ben olde and ben vexed with grete sekenesse / they ben born oute in to the next londe and deye there / Ther is anothir Ilonde in Irlonde that no woman therin may bere a childe / but yet she may conceyue / Also ther is an Ilonde in which no dede body may roten In vltonia that is vlster is an Ilonde in a lake wonderly departed in tweyne / In that one partie is grete disturbaunce & descomfort of fendes / and in that othir partie grete likyng and comfort of holy angels / There is also seynt patriks purgatorie that was shewed at his prayers to confirme his prechyng & his lore whan he preched to mysbeleued mē of sorowe & peyne that euyl men sholde suffre for her wicked wirkes / And of Ioye and of blisse that good men shall resseyue for her holy dedes / he telleth that who that suffreth y^• peynes of y^• purgatorie / yf it be enioyned hym for penaū ce / he shall neuer suffre the peynes of helle / but he dye finally withoute repetaunce of sinne / as the ensample is sette more fulle / at this chapitres ende / Treuisa / But truly noman / may be saued but if he be veri repentaunt what someuer penaunce he doo / and euery man that is very repentaunt at his lyues ende / shall be sikerly saued / though he neuer here of seint patriks purgatorie / Ther is an Ilonde in Connacte Salo / that is in the see of Conaccia / halewed by seint Brandan / that hath no myse / there dede bodyes ben not buried / but ben kept oute of therthe & roten not / In mamonia is a welle / who [Page] that wassheth him with that water of that welle / he shall wexe hore on his hede / Ther is anothir welle in vltonia / who someuer is wesshen therin he shall neuer wexe hore afterward / Ther is a welle in Mounstre or Momonia / yf ony man touche that welle anone shall falle grete rayne in all the prouynce / & that rayne shall neuer cesse till a preest that is a clene mayde singe a masse in a chapell fast by & blesse the water / And with mylke of a cowe that is of one heer bespringe the welle / & so reconcyle the welle in this stran­ge maner At Glindalcan aboute the oratorie of seint keywyn with ges berith apples as it were apple trees / and ben mow holsome thā sau [...]ry / That holy seint brought forth these apples by prayers for to hele his childe that was seek / Ther is a lake in blster and mo­che fissh therin / which is xxx. myle in lengthe and fiften in brede The Riuer Ban renneth oute of that lake in to the north Occean / And men saye that this lake began in this maner / There were men in that contrey that were of euyll lyuyng / coeuntes cum bru­tis / And there was a welle in that londe in grete reuerence of olde tyme / and alwaye couerd / and yf it were lefte vncouerd the welle wold use and drowne all the londe / And so it happed that a woman wente to that welle for to fecche water and hihed her faste to her childe that wepte in the cradle / and lefte the welle vncouered / then the welle sprang so fast that it drowned the woman and her childe and made all the contre a lake and a fisshponde / For to preue that this is soth it is a grete argument / that whan the weder is clere / fisshers of that water see in the groūde vnder the water rounde touris and hihe shapen as steples and chirches of that londe In the northside of Irlonde in the contre of ossiriens / euery vij. yere at the prayer of an holy Abbot / tweyne that ben wedded a man and a woman most nedes ben exiled & forshapen in to likenes of wol­ues and abyde oute vij. yere / And atte ende of vij. yere if they lyue they come home agayn and take agayn their owne shappe / and thenne shall othir tweyne goo forth in their stede / and so for shapen for othir vij. yere / There is a lake in this londe if a poole of tree be pyght and styked therin that parte of the shaft or poole that is in therthe shall torne in to Iren / And that parte that abydeth in the water / shall torne in to stone / And the parte that abideth aboue shall be tre in his owne kynde / Also ther is a lake that torneth ha­sell into asshe and asshe in to hasell / if it be don therin / Also in Ir­londe [...] thre samon leepes / there as samons lepe ayenst a roche a longe [...]res length Also in lagenia is a ponde ther he seē colmans [Page] birdes / the byrdes ben cleped certelles and come homly to mannes honde / but yf men doo hem wronge or harme / they gone awaye and come not agayne / and the water ther shall wexe bitter and styn­ke / And he that dyde the wronge shall not a sterte withoute wre­che and meschief but yf he doo amendes / R / As touching patriks purgatorie / ye shall vnderstande that the second seint Patrik that was Abbot and not bisshopp while he prechid in Irlonde labourid and studyed for to torne thilke wicked men that lyued as bestes out of her euyll lyf for drede of peynes of belle / and for to cōferme hem in good lyf / and they seyde they wold not torne but somme of them myght knowe somwhat of the grete paynes / and also of blisse that he spake of / Thenne seint patrik prayed to god almyghty therfore / and our lord Ihesus crist appierid to seint patrik [...] hym a stafe and ladde him in to a wylde place and she [...]d hi [...] there a round pitte that was derke within & saide / that yf a man were veri repentaunt and stable of byleue and wente in to this pitte / and walked therin a day and a nyght / he shold see the so­rowes and the peynes of euyll men / and the Ioye and blysse of good men Thenne crist vanysshed oute of patriks sight / and seint Patrik arered and bylded there a chirche and put therin Cha­nons reguler & closed the pitte aboute with a walle / & is now in the chirch yerd atte cest ende of the chirch / & fast shitte with a stronge dore / For noman shold nycely goo in withoute leue of the bis­shopp / or of the priour of the place / Many men wente in and come oute agayn in patriks tyme and tolde of paynes & Ioye that they had seen-and the meruailles that they sawe ben there yet wreton And because therof many men torned & were conuerted to right bileue / Also many men wente in and come neuer ayen / In kyng Stephens tyme kyng of Englond a knyght that hihte Owayne wente in to seint patriks purgatorie and come agayn and duelled euer after during his lyf in the nedes of thabbay of ludensis that is of thordre of Cistews and tolde many wondres that he had seē in patriks purgatorie / The place is called Patriks purgatorye and the chirche is named reglis / Noman is enioyned for to goo in to that purgatorie / But counceilled that he shold not come ther­in but take vpon him othir penaunce / And yf a man haue auo­wed and be stable and wole nede too therin / he shall first god to the bisshop & then he shall be sente with lr̄es to the priour of [...] place & they bothe shall coūceill him to leue / & if he will nedes [...] therto he shall be in prayers & in fasting xv. dayes / and after [...] he [Page] shall be houseld & lad to the dore of the purgatorie with procession and letanie / and yet he shall be counceilled to leue it / and yf he be stedfast and wyll entre / the dore shall be opend and he y blessed & goo in on goddis name / and holde forth his waye / and the dore shall be fast shette tyll the next day / and whan the tyme is the pri­our shall come & opene the dore / and yf the man be comen he bedeth hym in to the chirch with procession / and there he shall be xv. daye [...] in prayers and fastyng

HEre Giraldus maketh mynde that as mē of this nacion ben more angri than othir men & more hasty for to take wreche whiles they ben a lyue / so seyntes and halowys of this londe ben more wrechefull than seintes of othir londes / Cler­kes of this londe ben chaste & sayen many prayers & done grete abstinence a daye / and drynketh all nyght / so that is acounted for a myracle / that lecherye regneth not there as wyne regneth / and they that ben euyll of them ben worst of all othir / So good men among them though they be but fewe / ben good atte beste Prelates of that contrey ben but slowe in correction of trespas / and besy in contemplacion and not in prechyng of goddis worde / Therfore it is that alle the seintes of that londe ben confessours and no martir amōg them / and no wonder / for all the prelates of this londe ben chosen oute of abbeyes in to the clergye / and done as monkes sholde / what clerkes and prelates shuld do is to them vnknowen / therfor whan it was put ayenst the bisshopp of Cassyll how it myght be that so many seintes ben in Irlonde and neuer a martir among hem all sith that the men ben so shrewd and so angri / and the prelates so recheles and slowe in corrections of trespas / The bisshopp ansuerd feowa dly ynowh and sayde / oure men ben shrewd & angri ynouh to hem selfe / but to goddes seruauntes they beye neuer honde but do to hem grete reuerence and worshipp / But englisshmen come in to this londe that kan make martres / and were wonte to vse that crafte / R / The bisshop said so bicause that kyng harry the seconde was tho new comen in to Irlonde fresshly after the martirdome of seint Thomes of Caunterbury / Gir. in this londe in wales and in scotland ben belles and staues with croked hedes & othir such thyn­ges for reliques in grete reuerence & worshipp / so that men of this londe dreden more for to swere vpon ony of thilke belles and gold [Page] staues than vpon the gospell / The chief of alle suche reliques is y holde Ihūs staf / that is at deuelin / with the whiche staf they saye y^• the first seint patrik drofe the wormes out of Irlonde / Augꝰ. de. ci. dei ca. vij. Yf men axe how it may be that diuerse maner beestis & of diuerse kynde that ben kindly goten bitwene male & female come & ben in Ilondes after Noes flode / Men supposen that suche bee­stes swame in to Ilondes aboute. and first to the nexte & so forth into othir / Or els men seyllyng in to Ilondes brought with hem such beestis for loue of hunting / or angels at god almyghties commaū dement brouȝt suche beestes in to Ilondes aboute / or the erthe brouȝt hem forth first & fulfilled tho goddes commaundement / that com­maunded the erthe to bringe forth gras & quycke beestes.