ENos of the lyne of cryſt lyued .ix.C. yere & .v. This Enos began to call the name of our lorde. It myght happe be foūde ſome wordes of prayer / or made ſome ymages for god to be worſhypped / as now is in ye chyrche ¶Chanam lyued after .ix.C. yere and .x.

MAlaleel of the lyne of cryſte lyued .viii.C.lxxxxv. yere ¶ • areth of the ſame lyne lyued .ix.C.lxii. ¶Enoch of the ſame lyne lyued .iiii.C. yere .lxv. This Enoch was a ryghtwys man / & pleaſed god. And for his grete holyneſſe our lorde tranſlated hym in to paradyſe where he lyueth with Hely / in grete reſte of body and ſoule / tyll ye comynge of Antecryſt Then they ſhall go forthe for ye comfortacyon of good men. And they ſhall be crowned with the crowne of martyrdome.

MAtuſalē of Cryſtys lyne: lyued .ix.C. lxix. yeres. This matuſale was the oldeſt mā that euer ony ſcrypturs hath mynde of For whā he had lyued nyghe fyue hondred yere: our lord ſayd to hym Buylde the an hous & thou wyle: for yet thou ſhalt lyue .v. hondred yere. And he anſwered & ſayd. For ſo lytel a tyme as .v. hondred yere. I wyll buylde no hous But reſted vnder trees and hegges: and there ſlept / as he was wonte to do for a tyme.

SEm ſone to Noe / the ſeconde yere after the flood gate Arpharat / & other whyle he is called Melchiſedeth The whiche fyrſt after the flood made the cyte of Salem / & now it is caled Ieruſalem ¶Cham his broder opteyned Affricam / & gate ſones tweyne. Chus and Meſrayam. And the two gate ſones & doughters / & many a regyon was of them & many of them to vs ben vnknowen. For they enhabyte & haue theyr manſyons in ye occydentall ynde. ¶Iaphet was broder vnto Cham / & was bleſſyd of his fader / & this Iaphet had .vii. ſones. as Gomor. magog. Maday. Ianam· Tuball. Maſog. & Iras. And theſe .vii. gate ſones & doughters / & of them came many a regyon (Vide p •• a Gen̄ .xv.) ¶Arpharat ſone to ſ • m lyued .CCCC. & .xxx. yere. And gate Elam. Aſſure. Ludde / & Aram / & they gate many a ſone & doughter (vt pꝪ gen̄) ¶This Aſſur / by cauſe he wolde not rebell ayenſt god. in the edefyenge & buyldynge of ye toure of Babylon / as Nemroth dyd therfore he was dryuen vnto ye londe of Sennaars londe / whyche was ryght ſtraunge to hym & was not afore enhabyted / The whiche was called after his name Aſſuria. And there he edefyed & buylded a cyte afterwarde named Niniue / ye whiche was Metropolon of all the kyngdom of Aſſuriū. ¶Chus ſone to Cham was fader to Nemroth. Thys Nemroth was a gyaunt of .x. cubytes longe. & he began to be myghty in ye worlde & he is called a boyſtous hunter afore god This man begā that wretched vyce of coueytouſneſſe by hꝭ tyranny / with the whiche vyce euermore after this worlde is fulfyled. And the pryncypaleſt kyngdom that he had was Babylon. & he had Archade. Ediſſa. Selencia / & the londe of Sennaar. ¶Sale ſone to Arpharat lyued .cccc. & .xxxiii. yeres. & of hym in ſcrypture is no thynge wrytē but that Moyſes nombred hym ī the lyne that cometh of cryſte. Thꝭ Sale gate a ſone that was named Heber The whiche after ye Hebrewes had the ſpyryte of prophecye. And of this Heber ye Hebrewes ben named. For the Hebrewes tonge bode alone in his hous in the confuſyon of the lāgage And that lāgage was called mānes langage / the whiche euery man vſed afore the toure of Babyloa was buylded ¶This Heber hadde two ſones / and one was called Iectan thrughe enſample of Nemroth decenſendynge from Cham toke the Pryncehode vpon the childern of Sem. And he hadde .xiii. ſones. But theſe people after Ierom are not knowen of vs / for ferneſſe of the coūtree / or muta • yon & chaungynge of the people / or elles of ſome other manere cauſe.

SAruk lynelly deſcended from our forn fader Adam to Abraham And Nachor was ſone / & he lyued an houndred and .xlviii. yere. ¶And aboute this tyme ydolatry began to encreace myghtely. And yf ye reuolue & loke the hyſtoryes / ye ſhall fynde that thre thynges pryncypally brought men to the ſynne of ydoly. That is to vnderſtonde. the affeccyon whyche theg had to deed men. Dredde & flaterynge agaynſt ther prynces. And the dylygence of artyfycers & crafty men about ſcultures or grauynges. wycked fendes thenne entred in to ye ydollis / and gaue anſweres to the people And theſe wycked ſpyrytes confermed the erroure of the peple myghtely. In ſo moche / that what ſome euer manere of perſone / wolde not conforme hym to the reaſon / he ſholde greuouſly ſuffre the payne of deth. Alſo there was added and put to theſe thynges the dyſceyuynge laude and prayſynge of Poetes / the whiche wretches and alſo dampned men in to heuen with alle theyr gaye aourned wrytynges exalted / And that ſame tyme / whanne deuylles beganne for to ſpeke / ſo fayrly and ſo mekely to man The good lorde of his greate and abundaunt mery / ſente his aungelles / That they ſholde ſpeke to hys elected men in vyſybly / leeſt that all man kynde ſholde peryſſhe wyth thys myſcheuous errour.

BElus ſone to Nemroth this tyme was kynge of Babylon. And he was ye fyrſt kyng of this world / & this man was he whom the errour of the people fyrſt trowed / ſhold be a god / wherfore dyuers people named hym dyuerſly. And ſome called hym Bell / ſome Baal ſome Baalim / ſome Beelphagor / & ſome Belſabub And this vnhappy errour ſtode in man kynde more than two .M. yeres. ¶Ninus ſone to Belus the ſeconde kynge of Babylon of aſſuriorū / regned .liiii. yeres. And thys Ninus deſyred for to haue lordſhyp & worſhype and to that entēt that he myght be lorde of all ye coūtre about hym / he gaue batayll to all that dwelled nyghe about hym. And by cauſe that tyme the people were rude and had not the comynge of yght ynge nor armour / anone he ſubdued vnto hym all Aſiam. And there was made the fyrſte Monarche in the eeſt party. And whan his herte was ſory for the deth of his fader Belus / he made to be made to hym for his cōforte an ymage of his fader. to whom he gaf ſo myghty reuerēce that what ſomeuer gylty mā had fledde to that ymage ther ſhold no mā do vnto hym no hurte / and he pardonned hym of all his treſpaſſe· And thrugh his enſample many a man began to worſhyp the deed ymage / of theyr dere frendes. Thenne theſe malycyous ſpyrites ſeynge the curyoſyte of the peple / hydde them within them / and gaaf anſweres vnto the peple / and ſayd they were goddes. And cōmaunded them to doo reuerence vnto them as goddes Thꝰ that vnhappy ſynne of ydolatry was brought in / the whiche repugned myghtely to goddes mageſte. And in ſo moche this madneſſe grewe. that he ſhold ſuffre the payne of deth that ſayd / they were men but goddes.

THare ſone to Nachor lyued .ii.C. & .v. yere. this Thare after ye deth of Aram went frome Vr of Calde / & paſſed in to Chartam with his childern & his neuewes And it is ſayd / by cauſe he wolde not worſhyp the 〈◊〉 as Nemroth had taught he was banyſſhe • 〈◊〉 coūtre. And the comyn opynyon of the Hebrewes is Nemroth regned there the whiche was called an other name Amraphel the kynge of Sennar / whom longe tyme after this Abraham ouercame Vt dicitur Gen̄. xiiii.

IVdas ſon̄e of Iacob deſcēded of hym / & of this trybe of Iudas came the kynges progeny / & at laſt Cryſt our lorde. Iudas gate Phares / & Phares Eſron / & of theſe men lytel is had inſcrypture / but Math reherſeth them. ¶Beleus in this Pares dayes was kynge of Aſſurio rum / or of Babylon & he was the .x. kyng vnder whom yſaac deceſſed. ¶Athlas the grete aſtronymyer was alſo the whiche is ſayd to bere vp heuen on his ſholdre / for ye very knowledge of the ſterres. ¶Sarapis was ye thyrde kyng of Arguio rum or of Greco rum & this Sarapꝭ was called otherwyſe Apis / & he came in to Egypte with a myghty nauy / & there deceſſed & was made of ye blynde gentyles ye egypcyens the greteſt god amonge them. Aand that tyme began a meruaylous ſuperſtycyon in ydolatry of a calfe of two coloure whiche they called Apē / & that calfe dyed / ye deuylles procured a lyke calfe to that / for to be made / that they myȝt deceyue the rude peple / & aft er that it came that the chyldrē of Iſrael dyd on the ſame wyſe (vt pꝪ) And what thynge coude be more wretched or folyſſhe ī mā hauyng reaſō. ¶Argus was the fourthe kynge of Grekis / after whom the noble cyte of Argus toke his name. Cyeropis edefyed Athenes ī Grecia / & this •• te was the nou • yſſher of lyberal ſcyēce • & of many phyloſophers / yet they were deceyued by deuylles / & grete ſuperſtycyoſyte in the cyte was made (vide augꝰ et mirabilē fabulā reperies (¶Omogires the fyrſte man put oxen to the ploughe. ¶Belus this tyme was kyng of Babylon / & he was the .x. kynge of the regyon / & vnd hym deyed yſaac: ¶Pharao was kynge of Egypt whiche receyued Ioſeph / & exalted hym for the interpretacyon of his dremes (vide ſcientiam palcherrimā que hiſtoriam. gen̄. xlii. &c. ¶Amithus was the .xii. kynge of Babylon / vnder whom dyed Ioſeph a bleſſyd man in chaſtyte. ¶Pharao Emonophis aboute Eſdroms dayes was kynge of Egypt / & this Pharao know not Ioſeph ne none of his lygnage & he cōmaū ded ye chyldn of Iſrael to be drowned / as it is had (Exodi .i.) ye clerkes may loke that booke and we laye wyl loke to cronycles / but aboute this tyme the ſtory of Exodi began.

ARam ſon̄e to Eſrom of the lyne of criſt was about this tyme & he gate Aminadab. Naaſon / of theſe men letell is wryten in ſcrypture & therfore I procede to other maters ¶Iob that holy man & of al pacyēce enſāple about this tyme was borne / of the lyne of Nachor the broder of Abraham / & he lyued many yeres: & after that god had viſyted hym: & had aſſayed his pacyēs / he lyued an .C. & .xl. yere ꝑ ang. greg. & .lix) ¶Moyſes aboute this tyme was borne / & the chyldrē of Iſrael were ī grete trybulacyō & bondage. & Moyſes was put in the water to be drowned. ¶Aron aboute this tyme was borne. ¶Dafrus was kyng of Babylon & was the .xiiii. kynge / and Moyſes was borne vnder hym in Egypt. ¶Cycrops was the fyrſt kynge of Athenes. And after ſaynt auſtyn / that tyme many leſyng • were wryten / in the hyſtoryes of the Grekis the whiche comynly were leſſe than the comyn fame fa • the / of a lytell thynge they wrote a grete ma • ere / bycauſe to ſhewe theyr connynge for there was the vnyuerſyte of Grekys.

AMynadab ſon̄e to Aron / of cryſtes lyne was this tyme. Thys Amynadab fyrſt after moyſes with a full fayth / entred in to the reed ſee / & dredde not whan many a hondreth were ferde leſte they ſholde be drowned / and therfore he deſerued to brynge forthe the kynges lygnage / of whome deſcended our lorde Iheſu Cryſt. Moyſes was the fyrſt of Iſrael that euer was / & he was Iuge .xl. yere. This Moyſes was the moſt excellent prophete that euer god made / and the mooſt notable wryter of ſtoryes / & of his louynge heuen & erthe ſpekethe. For he ſawe almyghty god clerely face to face whiche in this frayl lyf was neuer foū den in ſcrypture but of hym & Poul thapoſtle ¶Aron ye fyrſt byſſhop lyued a .C.xxiii. yere / this Aron was called of god in to ye dignyte of the hye preeſt or of a byſſhop & was ordened ye eternal teſtamēt to himſelf & to al that come after hym for the gret power of preſthode. whā he was a .C.xxiii. yere of aege / he deceſſed and was buryed in the hylle of Hor. And his ſone Heleazarus ſucceded hym in ye byſſhopryche. ¶Pharao Boccaris this tyme was kynge of Egypt / & this Pharao wolde not here the cō maūdement of god / ne delyuer the childern of Iſrael / wherfore he was punyſſhed with ten plages (Vt patꝪ exo) And after he with all his hooſt were drowned ī ye red ſee. Naſon ſone to Amynadab was prynce of the trybe of Iudas in the deſerte / and about this tyme the lawe of god was gyuen in the hylle of Synay / & the boke of Leuicici was wryte / and another booke was called Numerū / & the tabernacle was ordeyned. The boke of Deuteromanū was made. Balaam was prophete and was ſlayne.

SAlmen of the lyne of cryſt was aboute thꝭ tyme / & had a wyfe that hyght Reab Moyſes about thys tyme deceſſed / the water of frome Iordan was drye. Ierico was take / the ſon̄e ſtode in the fyrmament Inmeuable (Hiſtoria li. Ioſue incipit. et Iudicū) Ioſue ſeconde Iuge of Iſrael was a myghty mā in batayll / & the fyrſt in deſerte he ouercame Amalech / & after Moyſes of god he was ordened iuge of Iſrael / of whom ye bataylles the werkes & the relygyous lyf / ye may ſee in ye boke of Ioſue wryten. ¶Eleazar was ye ſecōde byſſhop And he & Ioſue deuyded the londe of promyſſy on to the childern of Iſrael. And of hym deſcē ded the byſſhops vnto cryſt / a fewe excepted. ¶Othonyell of ye trybe of Iuda / was ye thyrde Iuge. And thys man delyuered ye chyldern of Iſrael from ye oppreſſyō of the reame of meſopotamie / the whiche he ouercame in batayl This man toke Axam to his wyf / ye whiche aſked the vale londes aboue & beneth of her fad Calepth (vt pꝪ Iudicū .i.) ¶Aoth was ye four the iuge of Iſrael· This man ſubdued Eglon the kyng of Moab & delyuered the childern of Iſrael. This was a myghty man in batayl: & he vſed the one as wel as thother for his ryght honde. ¶About this tyme ye kyng of ytaly began. And many tymes theyr names ben chaū ged: of the whiche progenyte of the Romayns more clerely is ſhewed. ¶Ian • s was ye fyrſt kyng of ytaly: & after warde of ye rude gētyles he was worſhyped as god: & they feyned hym to haue two faces. for they worſhypped his feeſt in ye begynnyng of the yere: as he were the ende of ye laſt yere. And the begynninge of the fyrſt. And of hym ye moueth of Ianuary hath his name. ¶Amictus was the .viii· kynge of Babylon vnder whom Ioſue deceſſed.

BOos ſone to Salmon of ye lyne of cryſt was this tyme: but of hym is lytel wryten / but that Ma • he. nombred hym in ye Genology. As doctours ſaye / there was made ſkyppynge of names bytwyxt Boos & Obeth. For at the leſt betwyxt them were .ii.C.lxxii. yere / ye whiche tyme to one mā may not be referred and therfore here many thynges is ſpoken of or I come to ye lyne of cryſt agayne) Nicholaꝰ de lyra dicit qd ſūc .iii. boos vnꝰ poſt alium) ¶Sāgar was ye .v. Iuge of Iſrael / but he lyued no yeres. ¶Dolbara was ye .vi. Iuge / thꝭ Dolbora was a womā / & for ye grace of her ꝓphecy / was gyuē to her honour that ſhe Iuged Iſrael. She by the cōmaūdemēt of god called Baruch that he ſhold go fyght with ye enemyes of Iſrael / & ye chyldren of Iſrael gate ye vyctory agaynſt Iabyn ye kyng of Chanaan & Cizaram ye prynce of his chyualry & he deſtroyed them (vt ptꝪ iudicū .iiii) ¶Phenies was byſſhop / & this Phenies yet a yonge man for goddes ſake ſlewe many lecherous men / & therfore our lorde was pleaſed with hym. ¶Saturnus this tyme was kynge of yealy & he was ye ſecōde kyng there / this Saturnꝰ is ſayd / to come fro ye londe of cretens in to ytaly / who by ydolatry & thrughe a maruaylous blyndenes they ſayd he was no man but a god. & yet they ſayd that he regned vpon them as theyr kyng And he taught men to dounge theyr feldes. And of Saturnꝰ ye Romayns were called Saturniani. Picꝰ was ſon to ſaturnꝰ & or he was kyng ī ytaly he was kyng ī larētin / & after his dethe / he was worſhyped of ye gētyls for a god

GEdeon ye .vii. Iuge of Iſrael was thys tyme / this Gedeon ſubdued .iiii. kynges. Oreb. zebe • . zeb. and Salmana. And he ſubdued Madean to Iſrael. (Vide plura Iudicum .vi.vii. et .viii.

BOcci was byſſhop in Iſraell then. ¶Abimalech the .viii. Iuge in Iſraell was natural ſon̄e to gedeon. & he was not called of god / but malycyouſly tooke on hym the pryncehode of Iſrael. And he ſlewe lxx of hys brethern / wherfore he ended hys lyfe myſcheuouſly (Vt pꝪ iudicū) ¶Tola was ye .ix. Iuge in Iſrael. And this man guyded hym after the olde gouernaūce of Iuges / by the maner of dyreccyon & coūſell / more than by domynacyon ¶Bocci was byſſhop aboute this tyme / but of hym lytell is wryten. ¶Iayr the .x. Iuge of Iſrael had .xxx. ſon̄es whom he made prynces of .xxx. Cytees. And by cauſe they were goode men and ruled to the pleaſure of god. Therfore in the dayes of theſe two men. Iſrael drewe to our lorde. And therfore al thynge came and was in proſperyte and welthe.

FAnus was the .iiii. kynge in ytaly & he was kynge of larentin both. ¶Latinꝰ was kynge in ytaly after Fanus / & of this Latinꝰ was called ye kyngdome of Latino rum . And Carmentꝭ doughter of Euandri foūde fyrſte latyn letters. Tauranꝰ about this tyme was kynge of Babylon or of Aſſirio rum / & vnder this man Troy was dyſtroyed fyrſt. The occaſyō of the batayl of Troy began for a lytell thyng In ſo moche as Lamydon kynge of Troy receyued not Hercules & Iaſon with due honoure / as they ſholde haue receyued / & of ſo lytell a treſpaas / how many harmes & hurtes grewe. ¶Sibilla delphica afore the batayll of Troy prophe • yed / how a chylde ſholde be borne of a vyrgyn without mānes ſeed. ¶Lamydō kynge of Troy was ſlayne / & his doughter Roxoma was taken in to Grekys londe. For ye whiche foloweth myghty batayll & mooſt ferdfull myſcheues (vide hyſtoria troianam) Hercules with Iaſon deſtroyed Iliū or Troy ye whiche anone after was buylded of Pryamus ſon̄e to Lamydon. This Hercules dyd many merueylous thyngꝭ & many mighty bataylles. And infynyte leſynges ben fayned on hym. At ye laſt whan he had ouercome moche people / he was ſore hurte in warre. And whan he myght not ſuffre the payne of his ſore with the whiche he was greued. Hymſelfe he ranne in to the fyre / and whan he was deed / he was worſhypped amonge the goodes of ye Gentyles myghtely.

AFter the dethe of Iayr Iuge of Iſraell the people of Iſrael added newe ſyn̄es to theyr olde. And our lorde toke them in to the power of Philiſtiens & to the chyldren of Amō xviii. yere. And they were gretely oppreſſed / & thenne they cryed to oure lorde. Then̄e Repte was eſpyed with almyghty god / and faught agaynſt Amon & ſedycyous peple of the hylle of Effraym. And for an vnprudent voys he ſ • ewe his owne doughter folyſſhly / & dyd ſacrefyſe to god with her (Iudicū .xi. et .xii. ¶Ozy this tyme was byſſhop in Iſrael / & he was of the ſeed of Aron / by ye lyn • of Eleazari ye whiche deyed / thrugh the prouyſyon of god ye byſſhopryche torned to the lyne of ythamar an .C & .xx. yere / in the whiche lyne He y was ye fyrſt hyghe byſſhop. And Ab • achar was the laſte. ¶Ebaſſam was Iuge in Iſrael .vii. yere & he was the .xii. Iuge / & he was named other wyſe Boos ye whiche wedded Ruth. ¶Abialon the xii • . Iuge of Iſrael was Iuge .x. yere. And vnder theſe tymes ye chyldren of Iſrael were quyete. And therfore none notable thynges were done in theſe dayes. ¶Abdon ye .xiiii. Iuge gouerned in Iſraell .viii. yeres. And aboute this tyme the hyſtorye of Ruth was wryten. ¶Authamanis this tyme was kynge of Aſſeri • & Priamꝰ kyng of troy ſon̄e to Lamido • ye buylded his cyte agayne merueylouſly ſtrōge. And began batayl with the Grekes vnto his owne hurte. And he had a ſon̄e was called Hector a leyffull gentyl ſon̄e by his wyfe Eccuba. This man was faythfull & wyſe & Incōparable of ſtrēgth & noblenes. This Priamus had an other ſon̄e that was called parys ye whiche toke away fro ye lōde of grekes helena wyf to me nelaiꝰ ye kyng. ¶Agamenon ye kyng brother to Menelaius the leder of al the Grekes hoſte faught agaynſt Troy / and at the laſte he wanne the Cyte falſly / and to the Grekes mooſte ſhame and ſclaunder that myght be. For certaynly that myght be called an vnhappy batayll where no man gyueth louynge to ye Grekes / but euery man reporteth ſhame.

¶Eneas was kynge of ytaly thre yere. And this Eneas after Troye was deſtroyed of the Grekes / that came īto ytaly with .xx. ſhyppes & dyde myghty batayles there. And this man had wedded Priamus doughter Elinſaram. And he was made a god thrughe the errour of the comyn people / & of this man came Iulius cezar & Octauianꝰ auguſtꝰ. ¶Vlixes an eloquent man amonge all ye Grekes / after many perylles on the ſee wente home to hys Penelopem. the mooſte faythfull & the mooſte chaſte woman that is radde of. And the Grekes peryſſhed wretchedly after that they had deſtroyed Troy / bothe on the water & on the londe as they wēte home warde ayen. ¶And that was ye pryncypal date of theyr wrytynge after that victory. For they wrote theyr hyſtoryes and other wrytynges (ſic āno primo. vel ſecūdo. &c̄. poſt Troiam captam) And that was the thyrde yere of abdon Iuge of Iſraell.

OBeth of cryſtes lyne ſone to Boosis reherced in Ma. ¶Sampſon the .xv. Iuge regned .xx. yere / this ſampſon was ye mooſt ſtrongeſt man that euer was / & he delyuered Iſraell from ye Philiſtiens / & fro his meruaylous ſtrengthe men trowed he had ben Hercules (et rius mirabilia oꝑa vide Iudicū .xiii.)

IEſſe ſone to Obeth of the lyne of cryſte otherwyſe called yſay fad to dauyd this tyme lyued a notable man ī honeſte. No kyng • egrete gouernour. But of hym many times is made mēcyon ī holy ſcrypture. For of hym deſcēded cryſt our ſauyour. ¶This tyme Ely was Iuge & byſſhop of Iſrael the whiche had two ſones Ophni & Phinees. & for he corrected thē not ſuffycyently / he & they were punyſſhed both of our lorde. For they were ſlayne of the Philiſtiens. And Ely felle of his ſete & brake his necke. This Ely was Iuge nexte after ſampſon & not of ye lygnage of Aran: that was fyrſt byſſhop of god electe / but of ythamar / ye lygnage dured an hundred & .xx. yere. In the whiche lygnage Ely was fyrſte byſſhop / and Abiathar the laſt (Vide plura primo regum)

THys tyme Saul was kynge in Iſraell after ye mayſter in his hyſtoryes / & Ioſephꝰ in his ·viii. boke. This Saul was fyrſte kynge in Iſrael / & regned .xx. yere / the whiche or he was kyng was a good mā & electe of god but after warde wretchedly he fayled: & he was ſlayne & his thre ſones in the hylles of Gylboy ¶In the tyme of Saull Samuel was Iuge & prophete in Iſrael / an holy man / & borne of a barayne moder many a daye. And he mynyſtred afore our lorde from a chylde to his aege. And was not hyghe byſſhop / but he Iuged Iſrael al the dayes of his lyfe. And was the very prophete of god. Two kynges he anoynted. Saul fyrſt / & after Dauyd. This ſamuel alone / & Moyſes are radde. that they prayed for theyr enemyes in al ye olde teſtamēt. Of this ſamuel & Saul be dyuers oppynyons. ¶Iſyder ſayth / that Samuel & Saul ruled Iſrael .xl. yere. ¶And Ioſepus in his .viii boke / & ye mayſter in his ſtoryes ſayth. Samuel to be Iuge .xii. yere alone. And after hym Saul to regne .xx. yere (Plura vide primo regū)

AScanius the .vii. kynge of ytaly was ſonne to Eneas / & buylded the cyte of Alby • n. And he was called ye kynge of Albano rū. This aſcanius gate Siluius the .viii. kynge of ytaly / the whiche Siluius was fader vnto Brute kynge of brytayne / nowe called Englōde. And I leue of ye kynges of ytaly: for they dyd but lytell noble thynges / tyll it be comen to Romulus & Remus yt buylded Rome. And then ſhall thoſe kynges come agayne / & nowe to procede to ye cronycles of Englonde / for the whiche namely this boke is made. ¶And Venes & Padua were buylded aboute this tyme / of the reſydue of the Troyans. ¶Homere the grete poete aboute this tyme was / the whiche wrote & fayned gloryouſly many a leſynge.

MAnaſſes kyng of Iewes regned .lv. yere / & he was an euyll chylde of a good fader / for he dyd more curſedly than ony that was afore hym. For he ſlewe the prophetes of god / that the ſtretes in Ieruſalem were al blody. And he made yſai the prophete to be ſawen the peces with a ſawe of tree. wherfore ye kynge of Aſſurio rum waſted the Iury / and toke Manaſſes • put him in pryſon. And after Manaſſes repented his treſpaas & cryed for mercy to our lorde / & was herde. Thenne he was reſtored to his kyngdome / & he amended his lyf) vt pꝪ .iiii. regū .xxi. et .ii. para. xxxiii) ¶Sel • um was byſſhop / and Echias after hym This tyme ye .vii. wyſe men had worſhyp in Grece. • . Tale. Solon. Chilon Poreandus Eldobolus Bias. Pitacus. Thys Talus founde fyrſte the defawte of the ſonne and the moone) Vide plura. auguſt .viii. deci. dei) ¶Numa the ſeconde kynge this tyme regned in Rome .xlii. yere / the whyche was a greate worſhypper of fals goodes. He fulfylled Rome ſoo full / that he myght haue noo place for hym ſelf to dwele in. This man put Ianuary and February to the begynnynge of the yere (Vide plura in auguſt. de ciui. dei.) ¶Aboue alle reaſon it is meruaylle that ſuche men ſo extedyng in wytte in all thynges that was ylle receded fro the knowlege of very god. Amon kyng of Iewes regned two yere / the whiche was noughte in his lyuyng. And he was ſtrykyn of his ſeruaū tes / and he deyed without ony repentances.

IOſias the ſone of Amon ac .viii. yere of his aege began to regne & regned .xxxi. yere / a good chylde of a peruerſe fader. in hys yonge aege he ſaught the grace of god. And in that grace laudably abode vnto his ende. His relygyous lyfe and his werkes ye maye ſee. (iiii. regum .xxii. et .ii. para. xxxiiii) ¶Azaſtas the ſone of Elchie was byſſhop. ¶Tobyas aboute this tyme deyed. And he was a very holy man. And he prophecyed the deſtruccyon of Ieruſalem· ¶Tulius Hoſtilius was the thyrde kynge in Rome. And ſaint Auſtyn ſayth in his boke deciuitate dei. that from Rome was made vnto Auguſt the Emperour / there was too contynuell bataylle / that it was take for a merueylle / and they were one yere without bataylle / excepte ·xlii. in Nume dayes in the whiche was contynuell peaas. And that Tulius by cauſe he hadde reſte / he dyd curſedly to hys neyghburs and thenne he was ſlayne and all hys huſholde wyth a ſtroke of lyghtnynge. ¶Nabugodonoſor thys tyme was kynge of Babylon / a manly man and a victoryous. For he was the ſcourge of our lorde / to punyſſhe the ſyn̄es of many people. This man was kynge of Babylon / and after he conquered ye kyngdom of Aſſuriorum and made it one monarche. But many wayes ſcrypture ſpeketh of this man / nowe good and nowe euyll. And for by cauſe ſcrypture concludeth that he ended his lyf in the louynge of god / by the prayer of Danyell / and in the knowlege of one very god / ſome doctours ſaye. He is ſaued / and ſome ſaye it is doubte. ¶Ancus Marcius the fourth kyng of Rome regned .xxiii. yere This man for grace and truſte that he had to Tarquinus Preiſcus made hym the gouernour of his chyldren And Ayres and he ylle rewarded hym. ¶Danyell yet a chylde delyuerd ſaynt Suſan / and ſtode in the conceyte of the kyng wyth his felowes / and after warde he dyſcuſſed the dremes of the kynge and was made a man of grete honeſte / (Vt pꝪ Danielis prio.) ¶Ionathas the ſeconde ſone of Ioſie regned on the Iewes thre monethes / and was made kynge by the people / and he was not good. And Pharao tooke hym and ladde hym in to Egypte / and made hys elder brother kynge. (vt pꝪ .iiii. regum .xxiii.)

IOachim or Ieconyas the ſone of Ioſie was made kynge of Iewes by pharao / regned .xi yere. And by cauſe he lyued nought ne herde not the prophetes. Nabudonoſor toke hym and made hym his ſeruante thre yere. And he rebelled ayenſt hym after warde / and he toke hym & was aboute to haue ladde hym vnto Babylon / but his coūſell was chaūged and ſo Nabugodonoſor ſlewe hym in Iheruſalem and caſt his body ouer the walles after ye prophecy of Ieremy / and tooke with hym the veſſelles of our lord Iheſu (vt pꝪ .ii. para. vlt) ¶Samias was byſſhop vrias prophete was ſlayne of Iecony the kynge / and Ieremi was preſente. ¶Ioachim ſone to Ieconias regned in the Iury thre monethes & lyued nought / & therfore anone he was meued that he ſholde regne no lenger / and was boūde and tranſlated in to Babylon / and many with hym were tranſlated (vt pꝪ .iiii. regum .xxiiii. ¶Daniel. Anamas. Azarias. Myſaell. Ezechiel & Mardocheus / all theſe with Ioachim the kyng were ladde in to Babylon / yonge chyldern / for by cauſe they werre of the noble blood.

SEdechias the thyrde ſone of Ioſie regned on the Iewes .xi. yere / thys Sede • hias was a myſcheuous man in his lyuynge And he wolde not here Ieremy the prophete / therfore he peryſſhed wretchedly / and alle the Iury wyth hym And his eyen were put out / & hys chyldern were ſlayne (vt pꝪ .iiii. regum.) ¶Ioſedech the ſone of Azarie was byſſhop / & was trāſlated fro Iheruſalem by Nabugodonoſor in to Babylon. ¶Abacuk prophecyed ayenſt Nabuch at Babylon. And there be opynyons what tyme this Abacuk • as. This Abacuk brought mete to Danyel whan he was put to the lyons after Ierom

SAlathiel of the line of Cryſte was ſone to Iecony the kynge of Iewes. the whiche he gate after the tranſmigracōn of Babylon. as Mark ye Euāgeliſte ſayth ¶Seruius Tulius the ſixt kyng of Rome was of a bonde condicyon on the maders ſyde. For ſhe was a captyue mayde. but ſhe was of ye noble blode / This man had grete louynge & nobly he bare hym in euery place / Thre hylles to the cyte he put· & dyched ye walles roūde about. ¶Reguſar Sabuſardach & Balthaſar were brethern the whyche regned one after a nother & were kynges in Babylon. And Balthaſar was the laſte kynge of Babylon / the whyche was ſlayne of Darius & Cirꝰ (Plura vide daniel .v.

DArius vncle to Ciro. felowe in ye kyngdom with Ciro trā ſlated the kyngdomes of Babylon Caldees in to the kyngdom of Perſa rum & Medo rum Cirus was emperour .xxx. yere This Cyrus helde the monarche hole at Perſes. Of this man prophecyed yſayas / & he deſtroyed Babylon: & ſlewe Balthaſar kyng of Babylon / & he worſhyped gretly danyel ye Iewes he ſende home ayen that they ſholde buylde the Temple of god (Vt pꝪ Eſdre prio) ¶Babylō that ſtrōge caſtel was deſtroyed & hꝭ power was take from hym as it was prophecyed. This was the fyrſt cyte & the greteſt of all the worlde / of ye whyche Incredyble thynges are wryten / & this that was ſo ſtronge ī one nyght was deſtroyed / that it might be ſhowed to ye power of god / to the whiche power all other ben but a ſperke & duſte. For it is ſayd forſoth: that it was Incredyble to be made with mannes hō de or to be deſtroyed with mānes ſtrēgth wherof al the world myght take an enſāple & it wolde or myght be enfourmed. ¶Tarquinꝰ Superbus was the .vii. kynge of Rome / & he regned .xxxv. yere. Thys man concyued fyrſt all the tormentes whiche are ordryned for malefactours. As exile / pryſon / welles / & galowes feters and manacles / chaynes & colous and ſuche other▪ And for his grete pryde and cruelnes god ſuffred hym to myſchyef and in what maner of wyſe it ſhall be ſhewed. He had a ſone of the ſame name / ye whiche defoyled a worthy mannes wyfe / they called hym Collatin & his wyf was called Lucres. Thys Tarquinꝰ that was this .vii. kynges ſone aforeſayde came vnto the ladyes hous abſente her huſbonde to ſupper and to lodgyng And whan all were a ſlepe he a roſe with a ſwerde in hys honde and with ſtrengthe and fere he rauyſſhed the woman. And whan he was gone ye nere daye after / ſhe ſende vnto her fader and to her huſbonde / for ſhe was of greate kynne / and thus ſhe ſayde to them. The kynges ſone came hyther & as frende / of whome▪ I had no myſtruſt and thus he hath defoylled my chaſtyce & loſte my name for euermore. Thenne her frendes ſawe her wepe and pytouſly complayned and they comforted her as well as they coude and ſayd it was noo vylany vnto her for it was ayenſt her wyll. She anſwered & ſayd yet ſhall ther neuer woman excuſe her by Lucres / For though ſhe cōſented not to thys dyde yet ſhall ſhe not dye without payne for that dede. And with that worde ſhe had a knyf redy vnder her mantell / with the whiche ſhe ſmote herſelf to the here & for this cruelnes & this pyteous deth the peple of rome aroſe & exiled ye king for euer more & all his progenye. And thus ſeaſed theſe kynges of Rome & neuer was none after.

AFter thys tyraunte was deed the Romayns ordened that theyr ſho • de neuer be kynge more in Rome. But they wolde be gouerned fro that forthe by Cōſules. So whā tho kynges had regned .ii. hondred yere and .xl. they made thys ſtatute that two Conſules ſholde be choſen: & they ſholde gouerne the cyte & the people. & for this cauſe theſe two were choſen that ony of thē wolde make ony yf exceſſe: the other ſholde gouerne hym. For theyr was no thynge obeyed: but yf they conſented bothe. Alſo they ſholde not ſtonde in ther dygnyte paſſynge one yere: for thys cauſe. That for domynacyon of longe tyme: they ſholde not vſurpe vpon them more than was ryght In alle thys tyme the Empyre of Rome was not dylated poſſynge .xii. myle. The fyrſt Conſules that were made: they called Lucium and the other Brutū / and theſe two men dyde grete thynges in theyr time But yet ye peple bare heuy of theyr domynacyon / wherfore they choſe an other man / the whyche ſhold haue more auctoryte than they / & they called hym Dictator ¶In this ſame tyme theyr was a grete dyſcencyon betwixt the people and the Senate werfore they choſe Trybunas wyth theyr Iuges ouer the people / and defended them fro wronge as ſaythe yſyder. For the Dictator whan he was choſe he laſted .v. yere / and the Trybunas were remeued euery yere. ¶But ye muſte vnderſtōde that ye ſhall not haue here after all ye Conſules named that gouerned Rome bytwene ye ſeſſynge of kyngꝭ / & the begynnynge of themperours. For it were to long to wryte / ſpecyally whan euery yere were newe ſyn / that one man myght be choſen ſoo oftentymes as we rede / and alſo for the endurynge of ther gouernaunce. For they were gouernours of Rome .v.C. yere .lxvii. So the moſte famous men of theſe ſhalle be reherced / after the fourme of Cronycles / and as they ſtonde in the boke was echeone after other.

zOorobabell after the commaundemēt of god foūded the Temple and made it parfyte / but it was longe after (Vt pꝪ Eſdre .vi.) After the people of Ieruſalem came fro Babylon / theſe two ruled Iheſus the hyghe preſt as gouernour / and zorobabelas duke. And this maner of guydynge was kepte vnto Herodes tyme that the hyghe preeſtes ſholde be prayncypall / and the dukes vnder theym. But the dukes were euer of ye trybe of Iuda / after the prophecye of Iacob. And vnder that good gydynge of preeſtes it is not redde the people to haue receded fro the very true fayth / as they dyde afore in the tyme of Iewes / & of kynges. For then many tymes they ra • e to ydolatrye. ¶Eſdras the preeſt of ye kynrede of Aron thys tyme exceded men in hoolynes / thorugh whoſe grete wyſedome all the Iewes ſtate was hopen. ¶Cambyſes the ſone of S • ri regned oon the kyngdome of Perſarum / the whyche commaunded mygtely the Temple of Ieruſalem ſhold not be buylded ayen. Hy • faders commaunded it ſholde be buylded. Thys Cābyſes made a curſyd Iuge to be • leyed or helte a lyue and made his ſone to ſytte on his faders ſkynne / that thrughe that drede he ſholde drede falſhede and Iuge ryghtwyſely. Thys Cambyſes hadde many names in holy ſcrypture in the boke of Eſdre. Arthaxerſe • or Aſſures in hiſtory • Iudith / that was done vnder hym he called Nabugodonoſcor / or Olyfernes the prince of his chyualry ſubdued many londes to his lorde. And at the laſt he came vnto Bethuleem / and there was ſlayne of Iudith a woman / (vt pꝪ Iudith .ii. et .xlii.) ¶Enereydes regned in Perſes half a yere. ¶Darius regned at the Perſees / the whiche by ye mocyon of zorobabel commaunded the werke of the Temple to be taken ayen. And commaunded his prynces that on nowyſe they ſhold lette it / but ſholde helpe it in all that they coude. (Vide plura in Eſore. vode. vo tempore ambiguū propter diuerſitatē docto rum )

ABiuth ſone to zorobabell of ye lyne of Cryſte was aboute this tyme. For of hym and of other folowynge vnto Ioſeph / nothyng is hadde in ſcrypture / but tha • Mathe theuangelyſt nombreth theym in the Genelogy / and therfore the certayn tyme of them duely can net be knowe. ¶Ioachim thys tyme byſſhop after Ioſephus was called Ioſedech vnder whome Ieruſalem was buylded ayen (vt dicit. et hoc idempatet Neemie .xii.) ¶In the .ii. hōdred and .xliiii. yere after that Rome was made / the Romayns ordeyned two Conſules in the ſtede of theyr kynge / the whyche ſholde gouerne one yere alone / leeſt that by taryenge they ſhold be proude: and that the one ſholde co • recte the other yf he exceded or erred ¶Brutus was the fyrſte Conſull: and Lucius the ſeconde. And thenne was there a man that was called Dictator / the name of an offyce: the whyche ſholde go wyth the people ayenſte ther enmyes. ¶Titus Puphis. Marcus conſules. ¶Thenne after the Romayns cō playned gretly on the condycyons of the Conſules. And then the power was put to .x. men to an excedynge coſte to the comyn peple. For eueryche one of them wente lyke a kyng) and nede cauſed them to leue that dygnyte. And they truſted neuer to reſte the warre was ſoo ſtronge agaynſt them. ¶Arthaxeſes was kynge of Perſa rum / vnder whome Eſdras came to Ieruſalem. And Neemias was buteler to the ſame kynge. whom after warde he ſēt to buylde the walles of Ieruſalem. ¶zerſes regned after him two monethes. Segdianus .vii. monethes / and lytell they dyde.

ELyac is reherced in the lyne of Cryſt in Mathee. prio & more of hym is not had in • crypture. Eſdras a holy man a connynge and worſhypfully was had amonge the peple this man came frome Babylon with other / & he meued with very Charyte went ayen to babylon / that he myght wynne moo of Iſrael / & ſaue the ſoules & brynge them home with hym In this tyme he repeyred the lawe and the holy bokes the whiche the Caldees had brente / & an happy wytneſſe to all the worlde he lefte in ſcrypture. He foūde newe letters / and lyghter in faccyon / the whiche thorugh the holy gooſt fulfylled he came ayen to Iheruſalem wyth a grete multytude / and with the kynges preuylege / that he ſholde teche ye people the lawe that he had repeyred. And there he deyed in a good aege. ¶Neemias an Hebrewe butelere of kynge Arthaxerſes / at his lordes cōmaundement wente from Babylon in to Ieruſalem. where of he hadde .xii. yere the ledynge of the people / And the .v. yere he began to repeyre the yates and the walles of Ieruſalem / the whiche werke he ended in two yere and four monethes / & that whit greue Impedymentes. For the halfe of the people ſtode armed without the cytee to withſtod the people of other nacyonne. intendynge dyſtroy them / & ye other parte laboured in armes holdinge in the one honde ſtones for walles / and in the notable other honde aſwerde / or nyghe by it (Vide pluralio. ſuo) ¶Permenides a phyloſopher / and namely in mortall thynges was abute thys tyme. ¶Socrates a phyloſophar whyche vnderſtode moche of the power of god / and he was Platoes mayſter. Democritꝰ ypocras / and other / of whom the noble werkes abode were alſo.

Azor is reherced in the lyne of Cryſte in Mathe .io. but no thynge of his dedes is wryten in ye ſcriptur. ¶Elyaſyb or Elyſaphat ſucceded Ioachim in the biſſhopryche (vt dicit Euſebius et magiſter hiſto) ¶Camillus was Dictator at Rome / in whoos dayes myſcheuous playes were ordeyned / that peſtylence ſholde ceſſe atte Rome. Of the playes ſaynt Auſtyn treateth dylygently in repreuynge the falſhede of the goddes / the whyche deſyred to be pleaſed with ſuche wretched playes. Soo ſhamefully theſe playes were vſed with naked men and wymmen / that honeſt men & wymmen wolde not • e at thoſe playes / ne yet beholde them (Vide plura in Aug. de ciuitate dei.) ¶Darius Notus regned at the Perſees .xix. yere. ¶Plato the deuyne phyloſopher and Aryſtotle his diſcyple were this tyme noble and famous clarkes. ¶Titꝰ Quintꝰ was dictator atte Rome / and he was a couetous man whome Auſtyn de ciuitatē dei. bryngeth in ayenſte coueytous and proude Cryſten men. ¶Gaius was a Senatour vnder whom was a grete bataylle agaynſt the kynge of Turco rum And .viii. thouſand men of theym were taken ¶Marcus Valerius was alſo a noble Senatoure of Rome / the whiche wyth .lx. thouſande Romayns foughte wyth the Frenſſhmen & had the better and ſlewe many of them. ¶Arthaxereſes kyng of Perſees called ayen to his Empyre Egypte. And he put Nacranabo the kynge in Ethyopia: & many Iewes in to tranſmygracyon. Alſo he ſende Vagoſum a prynce ouer Flom Iordan to aſke ayen to the trybute that was forgete: to Eldra that was the .vii. yere rente (propter ſubbam terre) ¶A • ſamus ſucceded hym: and regned a yere. ¶Darius the ſone of Arſamus regned with the Perſees xxiiii. yere. This Darius was a myghty man and a bolde: the whyche aſked of the Grekes a trybute: & that was the cauſe of the deſtruccyon of the monarche of Perſarū: For it was tranſlyted to the Grekes: after the prophecye of Danyll. For it is ſayd: that Dariꝰ brought .xv. hondred thouſande fyghtynge men: whō all Alexander ſlewe. ¶Iodas the ſone of Elyſaphat was hygh byſſhop in Ieruſalem in tyme of Mardachin. Iohannes his ſone ſucceded hym. ¶Aryſtotiles the mooſt ſubtell and famous phyloſopher lerned this tyme. Senocrate the mooſte chaſte phyloſopher was thys tyme: with dyuerſe other moo.

AFter thys Howan regned Morwith / and he became ſo wycked & ſo ſterne: tyll at the laſt a grete vengeaunce came vpon hym. For whan as he wente vpon a tyme by the ſee ſide hemette with a grete beeſt: that was black and horryble & hydeous. & he wēde that it had be a whale of the ſee: & bent an arblaſt & wolde haue ſlayne that beeſt with his quarell but he myghte not ſmyte hym. & whan he had ſhot al hꝭ quarlles that beeſt anōe came to him in a grete haſt: & hym deuoured a lyue: & ſo he deyed for hys wyckedneſſe: thorugh vengeaū ce of god: after that he had regned .ix. yere.

AFter Grandobodiam regned his ſone Artogaill .v. yere / & he became ſo wycked & ſo ſterne yt the brytons wolde not ſuffre hym to be kynge / but put hym downe & made Heſyder his brother kynge / & he be came ſo good & merci able that mē hym called kyng of pyte. And whan he had regned .v. yere he had ſo grete pyte of hꝭ brother Artogaill that was kī ge before· And anone he forſoke his dignyte & toke his brother the crowne ayen & made him kynge ayenſt all the brytons wyll. ¶And after Artogaill became ſoo good of condicōns / that he was well beloued of the londe for he came ſo debonayr and free / and dyde ryght & reaſon to all maner of men. And he regned .vi. yere and deyed / and lyeth at Grauntham.

AFter the deth of Artogail / ye brytons crowned an other tyme Heſyder / but his two brethern Hygamus & Petitur had of hym grete ſpyte & ſcorne / & ordeyned them for helpe to warre vpon the kyng ther brother / & ſoo they tooke hym & put hym in pryſon the ſeconde yere of his regne. And they departed all the londe betwixt them both but Higamus lyued but .vii. yere / and tho had Petitur all the londe and he made the towne of Pickerynge.

AFter the deth of Heſyder regned .xxxiii kynges eche after other in peas & with out ony longe taryēge. I ſhal tell thē all & how lōge eche regned as ye ſtory telleth. the firſt kynge of tho .xxxiii. was called gerbodia he regned .xii. yere after hym regned morgan. yere. And after him regned Cighnus .vi. yere And after hym regned Iowalā .viii. yere. And after him regned on Rohugo .xi. yere / And after regned Voghen .xiii. yere / And after hym regned Catyll .xv. yere / And after hym regned Porrex .ii. yere / & after hym regned Cherin .xvii. yere & after hym regned Coyl .xii. yere / & after him regned Sulgenis .xiiii. yere / & after hym regned Eſdad .xx. yere / & after hym regned Andragie .xvii. yere / & after hym regned vrian, v. yere / and after hym regned Eliud .ii. yere / And after he regned Eldadan .xv. yere / And after hym regned Claten .xii yere / & after hym regned Ouirgūde .viii. yere / & after hym regned Mortan .vi. yere / and after hym regned Bledagh .iiii. yere / & after hym regned Caph .i. yere / & after hym regned Gen. ii. yere / and after hym regned Seyſel & kyng Bled .xxii. yere / & kynge Tabreth .xx. yere / & Archynall .xiiii. yere / and Croll .xxx. yere / & Rodyngir .xxxii. yere & Hectir .v. yere & Harpir ·vi. yere & Carpour .vii. yere / and Digneyll .iii. yere and Samuell .xxiiii. yere / and Rede .ii. yere / & Ely .vii. monethes. This Ely had thre ſones. Lud. Caſſiballam / and Enemion.

AFter the dethe of Ely regned Lud hys ſone & gouerned well the londe & mo • he honoured good folke / & tempred & amēded wycked folke / thys Lud leued more to dwelle at Troy than in ony other place of the londe. wherfore the name of newe Troy was left / & tho was the cyte called Ludſtone. But the name is chaūged thrught varyaunce of letters / and now is called London. And this king made in the cyte a fayre gate / & called it Ludgate after his name / And the folke of ye cyte are Lodoners And whā he had regned .xi. yere he dyed & lyeth at London. And he had two yonge ſones that one was called adraghē & that other • ormace. But they coude neyther ſpeke ne go for yongthe / And therfore the Brytons crowned a ſtrōge knyght that was called Lud / that was Caſſibalanius brother / & made hym kynge of Brytayne / now called Engonde.

SAdoch of the lyne of Criſt / is nombred in Mathe. primo / but in ſcryture there is nomore mēcyon / made of hym ¶Iadu • the ſone of Iohn̄ was hygh byſſhop in Ieruſalem / this tyme kyng Alexander regned / ye whiche was wrothe with ye people of Iheruſalem and came to the cytee. Thenne Iadus arayed in his Pontyfycall ornamentes came to mete hym. And he ſodeynly was pleaſed & worſhyped the byſſhop & with peas & Ioye entred the cyte. And he made to be brought to hym the boke of Daniell \ & the prophecy to be expowned to hym the whiche was ſpoken of hym. & that done he Ioyed ſtrongly. For all thyng the whiche he had herde by ye dreme in due ordre was fulfylled. And it was lykely to hī that he ſholde be the ſame perſone of whom Daniell prophecyed: & of that he toke more hardynes to fyght wyth Dariꝰ kynge of Perſe: dyde the ſacrafyce: & badde the Iewes to aſke what they wolde haue he graūte that they ſholde kepe theyr owne lawes at ye .vii. yere ſhold be without tribute (vid mg • m in hiſto) ¶The hoſte of Alexander as Oroſiꝰ ſayth was .xxxii. M. of foot mē and .iiii. M. horſmen: & ſhyppes C.lxxx. And it is vncertayne whether it is more meruaylle: that he ſholde conquere all the worlde with ſo lytel a power or how that euer he durſt go vpō them with ſo lytell a power. And ther was of Alexand & his hoſte ſlayne ye • yng of Perſa rum (Et vt oroſiꝰ dicit quīquies decies cētena milia) Eneas ye ſone of Iady was byſſhop after his fader. Manilius Papirius & Fabius we •• cōſulers at rome. This papiriꝰ whā he was a child he was very wyſe & he feyned many fayr leſīge that he myght kepe hꝭ mayſters coūſel & the Senatours. And whan he came vnto mā nes ſtate: he was ſo noble a war • you •• That whan ye Romayns dradde Alexander he was choſen for to goo ayenſte hym· And of the goddes charged not but he ſcorned and reproued the goddes: ſayenge afore that vnhappy thynge ſholde falle· And that to his grete louynge hooly douctours ſaye

Kynge Alexander thys tyme began to be lorde of all the worlde: and he was called gret Aliſand for his gret victory ye whiche he had in ſo lytell tyme It was an euydēc Iuge mēt of ye wrath of god ayēſt ſyn̄ers of that time certenly ſome myracle oure lorde dyde in helpynge of his power for hym / for ye ſee of Pamphilicon was deuyded to hym as in olde tyme the reed ſee to the Iewes whan he perſecuted Dariꝰ. Alſo at his prayer the hylles of Caſpii were ſhytte that certen of the curſed Iewes mygh neuer come out. But at laſt in babylon with venym he was poyſōed & dyed the ·xxxiii yere his of age / & ye fyfth yere of his monarche the .xii. yere of the kyngdome of Macedon. ¶Knowe ye that whan Alexander was deed thoſe .xii. to whom he deuyded his kyngdome accorde they myghte not / & then began Infenyte batylles / & at the laſte foure opteyned all the kyngdome (Vide plura in Oroſio)

AChym of the lyne of Cryſt ſone to Sadoch is nombred ī Mathe prio. and of him is nomore had in ſcriptur. ¶Symō was byſſhop this tyme an holy man / & alſo ryghtwys he was named of the people. ¶Eleazarꝰ was byſſhop after ſyomon / this man ſende to Pretholomeo kyng of Egypt .lxxii. lerned mē of euery trybe ſex / to Interpret the lawe of the Iewes / the whiche tranſlated from Hebrewe ī to Greke thorugh a grete miracle that ſo manimen ſholde in .lxxii. dayes tranſlate all holy ſcripture with one accorde (Vide aug. de ciui. dei) ¶Dolobela Emilius. Marcus Curius. Genutus tyme were Cōſules at Rome Thys Dolobela conquered Samnites / & after many bataylles hadde / and Marcus ſubdued Epitoras and ſlewe .xxiii.M. of his men / & then fledde kynge Pirro / the whyche ſende to hym for peas & offrynge to hym greere yeftes. And then this Conſull anſwered & ſayd / ther ſhall no batayl cauſe me to flee / nor no moneye corrupte me. For I had leuer cōmaūde ryche mē to doo this & this than be ryche myſelf. ¶Tonucius ſubdued the cyte of Argiuo rum / & a legyon of knyghtes of Rome he ſende to Rome / & cauſed them to be bete openly in the myddes of the market / for they had them not lefully to the courte of Rome For the lawe was thenne kepte ſo ſtreytly at Rome / that & they had fayled to do ye due obſeruaunce in vertue they ſholde be punyſſhed. Theſe Romayns and many afore and after were the mooſte noble men of the worldes honeſte that myght be: and in all maner of vertue circumſpect: As hooly doctours ſaye that they put ther examples to Cryſten men but not the Intencyon: for they lacken the keye of fayth

PTholomeus Philodolphus this tyme was kyng ī Egypt: this Philodolphus was the very worſhyper of one god: & full gracyous to the Iewes: of whome .xx.M. & .C. he delyuerd out of captyuyte: & that he dyde that he myght pleaſe the god of Iſrael: of whom he herde the meruayles. And his lawe he deſyred to haue: nor it myght not be tranſlated in to none other longage but of deuoute mē: and that with a due reuerence & a ſolempnite. Certayne men atempted to haue wryten it amon the Gentyle ſtoryes: whome the plage of god ſtroke tylle they repented. Thys kynge ſende vnto Eleazar the byſſhop: to ſende to hym lerned men: The whyche he dyde gladly (Vide plura in mgrō hiſto)

ELyud of the lyne of cryſt: gate Eleazar as it is open ī Mathe. io. & more in ſcrypture is not hadde of hym. ¶Omias byſſhop was ſōe to Symon ſimō was biſſhop after hī the whiche was a very relygyous man. He refourmed the Temple of god in to better and enceraced the cyte of Ieruſalem with mani other good thynges. ¶Sempronius. Appius. Claudius. Gueus. Gaius. Artilius. Rgulus. Emelius Fabius thys tyme were Senatours at Rome. Thys Sempronius fought ayenſt the countre of Picentes: and almooſt the chyualry on both the partyes were ſlayne: excepte a fewe Romayns were lefte a lyue: & ſubdued the coūtree. Appius Claudiꝰ ſubdued Siracuſanas & ye coūtree of Penos: & put grete trybute to thē. Atilꝰ Regulꝰ a noble ſenatour ouer came thre Kynges & .lxxiii. cytees he ſubdued: & a dragō of a .C.xv. foot he kylled. After warde whan he was ouer cruell ayenſt his enmyes: & denyenge to yeue them peas: but yf they wolde paye a myght trybute: they almooſt beynge in dyſpayr & fought ayenſt hym: & ouercame hym & his hoſte & toke hym: & neuertheleſſe yet they wolde fayne haue had peas: but thys mooſt faythful man had leuer dye in paynes grete / than to yeue reſt and peas to curſyd peple. His louynge gretly ſaynt Auſtyn exalteth. ¶Emelius Fabiꝰ and Gaiꝰ wolde haue delyuerde Regulus but they opteyned not. ¶Ptholomias Euer gites this tyme was kinge of Egypt a victoryous prynce and a myghty. This man ſubdued Siriam & Ciriliā / and the mooſt parte of Aſie / & tooke ther goodes & brought them in to hys coūtree. Ptholomeus Philopater / ſone to Euergites regned in Egypte .xvii. yere. This man fought ayenſt two brethern. Seneleū & grete Antiochū / & he proſtrated many a thouſāde / but neuertheles he preuayled not (Vide plura in Iohē ſuꝑ Danielis) ¶Hanyball the mooſt curſed kynge of Peno rum & of Affricano rum myghtely hoted ye Romayns / for he deſtroyed them almooſt to ye vttermeſt ende / & nyghe the cytee of Rome he deſtroyed. And ſoo many noble men of Rome he ſlewe at one time / that thre buſſheles ful of golde rynges he drewe offyngers. Alſo ī a certayne water / of the ſlayne bodyes of theſe Romayns / he made as it were a brydge / that his hoſt myght paſſe. And at the laſte Cipio ye noble ſenatur direckid his hoſt to hym & ſcōfyted hym and almooſt Cipioes hoſte of Romayns was ſlayne. ¶Lucaciꝰ conſull. Simproniꝰ Valerius. Fulnius Lutinꝰ ſtaius & Cipio / ruled at Rome / this tyme the Romayns had peas one yere alone / & it was take for a myracle tha • they had reſt ſo long. For afore this tyme in .iiii.C. & .xl. yere the Romayns had neuer reſt. Theſe Conſules whan the yere was done gadred all the ſtrengthe of ytaly / & they had in theyr hoſt .viii.M. armed men for drede of the Frenſſhmen / whom they dradde ſtrongly / & after warde ye Romayns ſubdued them. ¶Epiphanes the ſone Philopater regned in Egypte .xxiiii. yere. Cleopatra doughter to grete Antiochus was his wyf· ¶Antrochꝰ magnus thys tyme regned in Syr • y / the whiche dyde moche myſchyef to the Iewes (vt pꝪ Mathe) ¶Onias this tyme was byſſhop in Ieruſalē. This Onias for the tyranny of Antiochus fledde with many Iewes in to Egypte / feynynge hym to fulfyll the prophecye yſaie .xix. that is to wyte To builde the Temple. But ī that he ſin̄ed for he ſayd otherwyſe than he thought. The kynge of Egypte gracyouſly receyued hym / & gaf hym ye londe of Helipolees / & there he buylded his Temple. ¶Somon his ſone was byſſhop at Ieruſalem / after that his fader was fledde.

ELeazar of the lyne of cryſt was aboute this tyme. Of hym no thyng wryten in ſcrypture: but that Mathe nombreth hī (vt pꝪ prio) ¶Onias Pius was to the byſſhop thys tyme an holy man: & well beloued with god & man And not alonely with good men but euyl men alſo. At the laſt vnryght wyſly was ſlayne of Adronito (vt pꝪ .ii. machabeo rum ) ¶Paulus Tereneius Scipio Affricanus: theſe were Senatours at rome. Theſe two erected an hoſte ayenſt Hanyba • l: & there almoſt the Romayns hope dyed· For there was ſlayne. xl • iii.M. Romayns. And this noble Scipio affricanus brought ayen ye ſtate of the Romayns people the whyche ſtode in a diſtpayre euer to haue recouered. For he fought with Hanybal manly & dyſcōfyted hym. All Spayne • e ouer came All Affrica he ſubdued: gre • Antiochus he brought to be his ſeruaunt. All Aſie he made trybutary to the Romayns: this man ſo noble & ſo victoryus by his owne vnkynde coū tree was outlawde: & there he deyed. ¶Philometor the ſone Epiphanes of Cleopatra regned in Egypt .xxxv. yere. This kyng ye • a childe / noble Antiochꝰ gretly oppreſſyd with many dyſceytes but the Romaynes ſent Legates the whiche cōmaūded Antiochus that he ſhold ceſſe of his tyranny ayenſt him. And Marcus Publius made a cercle to Antiochus thus ſaynge. The Senatours of rome & the peple cō maūde yt that thou go not out of thys cercle • yl thou haue anſwered to this mater This Antiochꝰ ſeynge that he myght not contynue • h • tyranny ſayd yf it be thus cōmaūded me of the Senatours & Romayns peple I muſte nedes tourne ayē & ſo wood āgry he was that he loſt the ſege of Alexandre / & tourned to ye poore releues of ye Iewes / vengynge hym vpon them by cauſe he myghte not venge hym on a more myghtyer people (vt pꝪ iii lio Machabeo rum .ii.

MAthachias an holy man / and of all louynge mooſt worthy hated in hys herte the conuerſecyon of all ſynners / alonly truſtynge in our lord god of Iſraell (vt pꝪ primo macha. ii.) And thys man had .v. ſones of the ſame loue vnto god. Thys man was not byſhop in Iſraell / but his thre ſones were. ¶Iudas Machabeus was byſſhop .iii. yere / & he was ſone to Mathathias. This Machabeus was the mooſt named man that euer was ī Iſraell / the whiche had neuer none lyke hym afore ne after. He was in batayll a myghty man & offred hym to deye a martyr for the lawes of god. ¶Ionatas his brother ſucceded him .xix yere. The whyche grewe in vertue and gouerned & ſtode ſtedfaſte in the lawes of god / & after falſely was ſlayne of Cryphone & two of his ſones (Plura vide Iuda et frēm eiꝰ li. macha. Antiochus Epiphanes ſone to Antiochꝰ the myghty this tyme was kynge of Syrry, This man from the heed vnto the feet within & without all was curſed / And therfore he was fygured to Antecryſt. Many martyrs cruelly he made & falſely he dyſpoſe hym to entre in to Egypt as his fader dyde / but he opteyned not for the Romayns letted hym. His mooſt vnhappy werke / & how he was in haſtage at Rome / and howe the prophecy of Danyell was completed in hym / ye maye ſee in the boke of Machabeo rum . ¶Quintus Flaminius. Marchus Cato. Thiberius Gracius were Senatours of Rome. This tyme was ſoo contynuall and ſo moche bataylle / that lerned men of Gentyles and of the true fayth both were wery for to wryte the actes or to haue thē in mynde. In the whiche bataylles men meruaylled gretly on the ſtedfaſtneſſe of the Romayns / that no trybulacyon / no drede no hardeneſſe myght not fere them / but euer contynued in batayll. And certaynly theſe Romayns after the worldes honeſte / they were the mooſt wyſeſt men that were. And therfore the Machabees deſyred ther company.

MAthon ſone to Sadoch of the lyne of Cryſt gate Iacob (vt patet Mathei .i.) ¶Symon ſone to mathias was byſſhop .viii yere. Thys Symon was a very wyſe man / & from youth vntyll his aege was euer of good conuerſacyon / euer more vertuous. And at ye laſt he was ſlayne of his brother Elay. (vt pꝪ .i. macha) ¶Iohannes Hircanus ſone to Symon / was after his fader .xxix. yere / a noble man as al the kynrede was before hym. This man after his deceſſe left his wyf a very wyſe woman & his fyue ſones to gouerne the Iury of the eldeſt was called Ariſtobolus an vnpacyent man & an vnhappy. Hys owne moder with thre of his yonger brethern he pryſoned & ſlewe them thrugh hungre & ſoo alone he lyued kynge & byſſhop one yere (Vide plaura li. Machabeo rum ) ¶Publius Lucimius. Lucius Emilius. Lucius Lucinius. Lucius Conſorinus were Conſules att Rome. In whoos tyme the Cartagynes & the Romayns warred ſtrongely· But the Romayns ſubdued them / entendynge to haue deſtroyed ye Cartagynes vtterly. But among the Romayns ther was a notable wyſe mā called Scipio Nauta. And amonge many notable coūſeylers two he ga • ſpecyally to be had ī minde. The fyrſt that Cartago ſholde not be deſtroyed that thrugh the occaſyon of for and bataylles / a In warde cō corde ſholde abyde amonge the Romayns / & a perpetuell ſtrength for contynuell excercyſe of batayll. The ſeconde. That in no wyſe the other ſholde be buylded in Rome. For he ſayd that was the mooſt enmye that myght be to ye people that vſed warre For that place nouryſſhed ſlouth and prouoked lechery ¶And how wyſely this notable man gaaf counſeyll / the tymes folowyng declareth (vide plca in Aug. dei ciuite dei libro .iiii.) ¶yet for all this counſeyll that noble cyte of Carcago was deſtroyed of Cipio & the Senatours. And it brente .xvii. dayes contynuelly Many men there were ſolde / & many men ranne in to the fyre wylfully. ¶Corinthꝰ this ſame yere was deſtroyde of the Romayns / the whyche was the rycheſt countree of the worlde. ¶Ptholomeus this tyme regned in Egypte / & was famylyer wyth the Romayns. And ſo longe he & his predeceſſours regned as they kept fydylyte to the Romayns. And knowe euery man that there was none other cauſe that the power of ye Romayns encreaſed ſo ſtrongly abue other people / but vertue / the whyche habundanly rygned in them / & namely reght wyſneſſe whiche aboue all thynge they vſed. And as longe as they kept meſures & loued ryght wyſneſſe / ſoo longe they were neuer ouercome And as ſone as they were corrupted / it is radde / they were ouercomē. ¶It is had in a certayne reuelacyon of god ſhewed to ſaynt Brygyte that oure lorde god bereth wetneſſe to theſe olde Romayns. That none in this naturell lyf lyued more ryght wyſely. And what lyghtes of faythe they ſhewed in the tyme of Cryſten relygyon ſhall be ſhewed after warde.

ARiſtobolus was the fyrſte kynge and preeſt in ye Iury this man regned one yere alone / and tooke to hym the Dyademe of the kyngdome. And he helde hym not contente with that his fader gaaf hym in his teſtamente. But he put his moder in pryſon & his brethern. And therfore he peryſſhed wretchidly with his brother Antigonꝰ the whiche was of his coūſeyll and helped hym.) Vide magyſtrum in hiſtoriis (¶Antigonus brother vnto the kyng was ſlayne thrugh the enuytee of the quene. ¶lexander was byſſhop after Arſtobolus / & he ſtode .xxvii· yere. And he was al atyraunte / all though he appered ſobre in the begynnyng. But he made it knowen what he was in his ſtomacke / for he ſlew his owne brother. And in .xii. yere he ſlewe .l. thouſande of the olde ſage faders of grete vertue / by cauſe they tolde hym his myſgydyng. Then̄e whan he ſholde deye / he left two ſones behynde hym Hircanū and Ariſtobolum. But certaynly he ſayde his wyf ſholde regne / for ſhe ſtode in the grace of the people. ¶Seruius Flaccus. Lucious. Fabiꝰ. Plubius this tyme were Senatours at Rome This tyme bataylles amonſte them ſif began̄e. Of the whiche the firſte cauſe & the begynnynge / was Graceus a myghhy man / well knowen with noble Romayns / began to ſeke a cauſe ayenſt them. And by cauſe that he myght do no thynge alone to them / he meued the comyn people to theym ſayenge / That all the londes & poſſeſſyons ſholde be deuyded equaly / and alſo the moneye. &c̄. And for that cauſe there was an Inſurrreccyon / in the whiche Graccus was ſlayne / and many myſcheues felle after (Vide Oroſium) ¶In ye tyme of theſe men / there was a chyld borne at Rome / hauynge foure feet / foure armes / two faces and foure eyen. ¶The hylle of Ethna ſpetted out flammynge fyre horryble / and deſtroyed the places nyghe aboute it. ¶And theſe men berynge rule. Cartago was cōmaunded to be reſtored. And it was fulfylled of the Romayns people. And there was myghty batayll in the cyte of Rome. ¶Fabius with a lytell hoſt ouercame the kynge of Armenye And there were drowned an honyred & four ſcore thouſāde men in the water of Rome. ¶Ptholomeus Alexander was kynge in Egypte. In his tyme was borne Lucerius a Poete / ye whiche afterward was madde for loue of wym̄en & ſlewe hymſelf. ¶Pthoiomeus ſone to Cleopatre regned after him / vnder whom Saluſtius ye noble wryter of hyſtoryes was borne. ¶Ptholomeꝰ Dioniſius was after this man And in his tyme virgyll & Oraciꝰ were borne.

IAcob naturell fader to Ioſeph of the lyne of creſt is reherted in Luke & Mathe & lytell of hym is had in ſcrypture. ¶Alexandra wyf to Alexander was byſſhop in the Iury .ix. yere / & ſhewed moche tyrannye al yf ſhe was made byſſhop by her feyned holy relygyon. ¶And Hircanū her ſone ſhe prouoked to the byſſhopryche / & ſhe ordeyned that he ſhold regne after. This woman in ye lyne of the byſſhops is put fro the coūtynge of ye yeres. Not as ſhe vſed the offyce of a byſſhop for it was not leyfull to her. ¶Hircanus ſone to Alexandra regned .xxxiii yere. This Hircanus after the deceſſe of his moder ſucceded in the kyngdom / in ye whyche he had lytell proſperyte for percyalte of the peple. For anone he was ouer comen / & after warde he was reſtored thrugh the helpe of the Arabees. And thenne he was made trybutary to the Romayns. And ſoo 〈◊〉 was in peas a lytell tyme. But not in ye name of kynge. At the laſt he dyd wretchedly for he was begyled thrugh the fraude Partho rum the whiche Antigonꝰ hyred ayenſt hym (vide plene magiſtrū hiſtorie) ¶The hereſye of ye Pharyſees aboute this tyme began. And amonge them were thre ſectes in the Iury. Pharacey. Saducey. & Eſſey. All theſe were deuyded frō the comyn vſe of the Iewes / & were enfe •• e with mani errours for thei ſayd that thei were holyer than other men. For they lyued ſtreytlyer than other men dyde (Vide plus alias) ¶Virgyll the mooſt excellent of Potes was magnefyed this tyme / & meruaylous thynges he dyd. And amonge other whan that Neopolis was vexed wyth deedly payne of myghty wormes. Virgyll caſte a worme of golde in to a pounde or a water / and it laye a certayne ſeaſon there. And whan it was take vp in to the towne / all the cyte was made full of wormes. And tyll the worme of golde was put in to the water ayen / they hadde In fyte wormes. And whan it was in the water all the wormes wente a waye. ¶Alſo it is wreten in the cronycles of Rome / that Virgyll by connynge condeſcē ded or thycked the ayre / ſoo that he walled his gardyne with the ayre. And he made a brydge of the ayre / by the whiche he myght paſſe euery tyme that he lyſt Alſo he aſked Morcellū Neopolitanū / neuewe vnto the Emperour / yf he wolde haue a byrde taught to kylle all byrdes or a flye taught to dryue all flyes out of the cyte. And this Marcellū tolde this to the Emperour. And he deſyred to teche a flye to kylle all flyes. For the comyn people were ſore anoyed with •• yes. And many other maruales he dyde (vide magiſtrū Rodulfū Ceſterū) ¶Oracius Flaccus / and Saluſtius Criſpus hiſtoricus were at this tyme. Quintus Cipio. Gaiꝰ Lucis this tyme were Conſules at Rome. ¶Pompeius. Marcus Craſſus & Iulius Cezar this tyme were Dictatours at Rome. For as it is ſayd / afore there were many dygnytees at Rome / of the whiche ſome dured one yere / ſome two yere. And amonge all the dygnytees the Dictatours exceded / for it dured fyue yere. But whan the comyn peple and the lord ſhypes of Rome encreaſynge were made thre Dictatours. And thys tyme was pompeius. Iulius & Marcus Craſſus Dictatours. And by cauſe Pompeius was of grete honour and aeged / he bode at Rome to kepe the comyn people of Rome. ¶Marcus Craſſus was ſende to ſubdue and fyght with the regyon of Perthus. And thrugh treaſon he was taken and ſlayne ¶Iulius Cezar was ſende to the weſte parte of the worlde to ſubdue them. And he hathe wyth hym ſeuen legyons of people. And whan that he hadde ſubdued Lomberdye and Fraunce his fyue yere were ſpended / the whiche were aſſygned to hym and no lenger. There by his owne auctoryte he toke other fyue yere vpon hym / in the whiche he ſubdued Caſſybolon kynge of Brytayne / and the Frenſhmē that rebelled agaynſt hym ¶This ſame Iulius after he had conquered the countrees / vnto Rome he roode agayne / for to be receued with certayn worſhyp as conquerours were before hym but it was denyed hym / and alſo the entree of the Cytee / by the Inſtygacyon of a lorde called Pompei. wherfore thys Iulius Cezar was annoyed / and wyth force of myghte entred the Cyte / and robbed the comyn treaſoure and ladde it wyth hym / and departed it amonge the ſeuen legyons that were his ſeruauntes. Thenne wente he in to Spayne to fyght agaynſte this Pompei. For Pompei hadde the gouernaunce of Cartago. But after that Iourneye in ytale Pompei and he encountred togyder. ¶In the whyche bataylle Pompei fledde vnto the kynge of Egypte / and that ſame kynge for ſpecyall loue that he hadde vnto this Iulius Cezar ſmote or Pompeus heed and ſente it to Iulius Cezar. yet for all the enuyte that was betwixt them two Iulius wepte whan that he ſawe thys Pompeius heed· Thys Iulius was excedynge in wytte afore other men / and he faught in bataylle .lii. tymes. This man alone exceded Marcus Craſſus: the whyche is ſayde to haue foughten .xxxix. tymes. Thys man tooke fyrſte the Empyre of Rome vpon hym: whan Pompei and other noble men of the Romayns were ſlayne. ¶And atte the laſte the fyfthe yere of hys Empyre: Thys Iulius Cezar the ruler of all thys worlde was ſlayne in the coūſell hous thrughe treaſon of hys lordes. ¶Cathon the mooſt named phyloſopher: Seeynge Iulius Cezar haue the victorye: whom he fauoured not: at a towne called Vticam dyde ſlee hym ſelfe (iuxta illud Mauult cota mari: quam deroget vrbis honorari) But for that after Auſtyn he was not excuſed of ſenne.

¶This tyme the Iury was trybutarye to the Romayns for percyalyte of two brethern Ariſtobolus and Ercanus bothe of them for enuye of other caſte them to the Romayns that they myghte regne. ¶This tyme thre ſonnes appered in heuen to warde the eeſt parte of the worlde: the whiche by lytell and lytelle were broghte in to one body. A grete ſygne it was that Affrica. Aſia: and Europa ſholde be broughte ī to one monarche and that ye lordſhyp of Anthony the Senatoure and Lucius Anthonii ſholde tourne in to one lordſhyp. ¶Marcus Cicerio Tullius the mooſt noble Rethorycen was Counſell of Rume this tyme.

AFter the deth of Caſſybolon for as moche as he hadde none heyre of his 〈◊〉 body begotē / the lordes of londe by ye comyns aſſente crowned Andragen erle of Cornewayle & made hym kyng. And he regned well and worthely / & he was a good man & will gouerned the londe. And whan he had regned. v • ii. yere thenne he deyed / & lyeth at London

IOſeph of the lyne of Cryſte was abou • this tyme borne / and after was huſbonde vnto our lady. ¶Anthigonꝰ was byſſhoppe thys tyme in the Iury. This Anthigonus was ſone vnto Ariſtoboly / and on euery ſyde he was falſe. For he obeyed not to the Romaynes / and a grete plage he brought vnto the lō de for to deſtroye Hircanus his vncle that he myghte regne kynge / and ſoo Hircanus was expulſed / and Flaccus was ſlayne / and Herode was exiled. But whan Herode came vnto Rome and tolde the Senatours all theſe thyngys / the Emperour cerated hym kyng ſendynge with hym an hoſte / the whiche tooke Ieruſalem. And Anthigonum the byſſhop taken / ledde to Anthony the Senatoure / the whiche made hym ſeker / and ſoo was Herode confermed in to his kyngdom. And he a ſtraūger regned on the Iewes / & ſo the kyngdom of the Iewes ceſſed as Iacob had ſayd. ¶Titus Liuius hiſtoricus and Quidius were thys tyme.

OCtauian was Emperour of Rome .lvii. yere .vi. mouthes ond . • . dayes. Thys Octauyan neuewe to Iuly whā he was a yonge man toke the Empyre vpon hym. His flouryſſhynge youthe he ſpended in warre. Fyue thouſande bataylles he dyde. And ſhortly after many bataylles / he brought all the worlde in to one Monarche / that man had no felowe And in his dayes peas was in alle the worlde thrught the prouyſyon of the very god. That the temporall peas myght glorifye the natyuyte of our ſauyour Cryſte Iheſu. This Octauyan was the fayreſt man that myghte be / and hygh in wytte / the mooſt fortunate in all thynges. And he lacked not the vyce of hys fleſſhely luſte. This man made alle the worlde to be meſured. And in the .lii. yere of his regne was our lorde Iheſu Cryſte borne / the Sauyoure of this worlde / the whiche graunteth eternall peas to his louers. ¶Hic nota ſecundum Ieronimum) that Anna and Emeria were ſyſters. ¶And of Emeria was borne Elyzabeth moder to Iohan the Baptyſte. And ſhe was fyrſte wedded to Ioachim of whome ſhe toke Mary moder of Cryſte. The ſeconde huſbonde was Cleophe / and he gate oon her Maria Cleophe / the whiche was wedded to Alphe of whom proceded Iames the leſſe Symon Cananeus. Iudas Tadeus / and Ioſeph the whiche is called Barſabas / The thyrde tyme Anna was wedded to Salome / of whome ſhe toke Mary Salome the whiche was wedded to zebede and of them came Iames ye more / and Iohan the euangelyſt ¶The fyrſte Mary wedded Ioſeph brother to Cleophe afore ſayde. This tyme Sibilla Tiburrina prophecyed of Cryſte / and ſayde to themperoure Auguſt / that he ſholde not trowe that he was not god after the folyſſhenes of the paynyms And there ſhe ſhewed hym a fayre virgyne in heuen holdinde a child in her armes / and ſayde to hym / this childe is greter than thou / and therfore doo hym worſhyp. ¶The monarche of Rome about this tyme myghtly encreſed. And whan it was ſoo that by all the world in dyuers prouynces bataylles were reyſed ſodē ly all men merualynge / they were ſeſſed and put them holy to the prynce of Rome that opē ly it myghte be ſhewed that ſuche an vnyuerſall peas came neuer by laboure of bataylle / but of ye powere of the very god / that in his natyuyte peas ſholde regne in all the worlde. ¶Herode Aſcolonira was kynge in the Iury .xxxv. yere This Herode ydumeꝰ was ye fyrſt ſtraūge kynge that regned on the Iewes. The mayſter in hiſtoriis ſayth / he was a noble mā and faythfull in the begynnynge / and in alle thynge he had hym nobly. He wys very gētyll vnto the Romayns and to the people that loued peas· And in his olde aege / whan he wolde moche pleaſe the Romans herde of the byrthe of Cryſte: dredynge to be expulſed of his kyngdome as a ſtraunger: wretchedly he felle and ſlewe the Innocentes and dyuer of his owne children. And at ye laſt was hatefull to all people: and felle ſyke & deyed wretchedly. ¶Mary the moder of Cryſt was borne afore the Natyuyte of cryſte .xv. yere or there aboute.

AFter the deth of Andragē regned Kymbalyn his ſone a good man & well gouerned the londe in moche proſperyte and peas all his lyf tyme. And in his tyme Iheſu Criſte was borne of that ſwete virgyne Mary. This kynge Kymbalyn had two ſones. Gynder and Armager good knyghtꝭ and worthy. And whan thys Kymbalyn had regned .xxii. yere: he deyed and lyeth at London.

IN the begynnyge of the .xlii. yere of Octauyan themperoure. whyche began to regne in Marche: and in .xxx. yere of Herode .vii.C. and .l. yere after that Rome was buylded / the .vi. monthe frome the conceyuynge of Iohan Baptyſt: the .viii. Kal. of Apryl: the .vi. fery at Nazareth of Galylee: of the virgyne Mary was conceyued Cryſte our ſauyour and the ſame yere was borne·

AFter vortimers dethe: the Brytons by theyr comyn aſſēt eft ſones made vortiger theyr kynge vpon this couenaunt: that he ſholde neuer after ſuffre. Engiſt ne none of his eft ſones to come ī to this londe And whā all this was done. Ronowen the quene pryuely ſente by letter to. Engiſt that ſhe hadde en. poyſoned vortimer: and that vortiger her lorde bare ayen ye crowne and regned. And that he ſholde come ayen in to this londe well arayed wyth moche people for to auenge hym vppon the Brytons and for to wynne this londe ayen. ¶And whan Engiſt herde theſe tydynges / he made grete Ioy. And appareylled hym haſtely with .xv. thouſande men / yt were deughty in euery batayll / & came in to this londe And whan vortyger herde telle that. Engyſt was come ayen wyth a grete power in to thys londe / he aſſembled hys. Brytons / & tho went ayenſt Engyſt for to yeue hym Batayll & hys folke. But Engiſt dradde hym ſore of the Brytons for they had dryuen hym before & diſcomfyted hym with ſtrēgth. wherfore this Engiſt prayed hym for a loue daye / & ſayd he was not comen in to this londe for to fyght / but for to haue hys lond ayen yf he myght accorde with the. Brytons / & of them to haue loue and grace The kynge Vortiger thrugh counſeyll of hys Brytons graūted hym a loue daye. And thus it was ordeyned thrugh the Brytons / yt the ſame daye ſholde be holden faſt beſyde Salyſbury vpon a hylle. And Engyſt ſholde come thyder with four hordred kdnghtes without moo And the kyng with as many of the wyſeſt men of hys londe· And at that daye the kynge came with his coūſeyll as it was ordeyned / but Engiſt had warned hys knyghtes pryuely / & then conmaunded that euery one of them ſhold put a longe knyf in hys hoſe. And whan he ſayde Fayre ſyres now ys tyme to ſpeke of loue & peas euery man Anone ſhold drawe out hys kynue & ſlee a Bryton. And ſo they ſlewe. a M.lxi. knyghtes / & wyth moche ſorowe many of them eſcaped. And the kyng vortyger there hymſelf tho was taken / & ladde to Thongcaſtell & put in pryſon. And ſome of Engyſtes men wolde that the kynge had be brente alle quycke And vortiger tho for to haue hys lyf / graūted them as moche as they wolde are / & yaue vp all the londe townes / caſtelles / cytees / & borughs to Engiſt and to his folke. And all the Brytons fledde thes in to waiys / and there they helde them ſtyll. And Engyſt wente thorugh the londe and ſeaſed all the londe / wyth fraunchyles And in euery place lete caſt a downe chyrches and houſes of Relygyon / And waſted and deſtroyed cryſtendome thrughout all thys londe And lete • aunge ye nam of thys lond called brytayne: that noo man of hys were ſoo hardy after that tyme to calle this lōde Brytayne: but calle Engiſt londe. And then ne he departed all the londe to hys men: and there made .vii. kynges for to ſtrength the londe that the Brytons ſholde neuer after come therem. ¶The fyrſt kyngdome was Kent: there that Engiſt hymſelf regned: and was lorde & mayſter ouer al ye other. ¶The other kyng had Southſex yt now is called chycheſtre ¶The thyrdet kyng had weſtſex. ¶The fourth had Eeſtſex. The fyfth had Eſtangill: yt now is called Northfolke Southfolke. Merchemeryk: that ys to ſaye therldome of Nycholl. ¶The ſixth had Leycheter ſhyre. Northampton ſhyre. Herforde: and Huntyngdon. ¶The ſeuenth hadde Ox enforde. Gloucheſtre. wyncheſtre. wer wykeand Derbyſhyre.

AS Engiſt had departed all the lond in thys maner bytwene hys men: and in lyuerde vortyger out of pryſon & ſuffred hym freely to go whyther that he wolde. And he toke his waye and wente in to walys there that his Brytons dwelled: for as moche as ye londe was ſtronge & wycked to wynne. And Engyſt • neuer came therene neuer knew it before that londe. ¶Vortiger helde hym there wyth hys Bratons / and axed counſeyll what hym was beſt to do. And they yaue hym counſeyll to make a ſtronge caſtell that hym myghte hymſelf there in kepe and defende yf nede were. Ma • e ſons in haſte tho were fette / & began to werke vpon ye hylle of Breigh / but certes thus it befell that all the werke that the maſons made a daye downe it felle the nyght / and they wyſte not what it myght be. Ther of the kynge was ſore anoyed of that chaunce & wyſte not what to do. werfore he lette ſende after the wyſeſt clerkes & alſo lerned men than were thorugh out walys that myght be foude / for they ſholde tell wherfore ye foūdament ſo fayled vnder the werke / and they ſholde hym tell what was beſt for to doo. And whan theſe wyſe men longe tyme had ſtudyed they ſayde to the kynge / that he ſholde doo ſeke a chylde borne of a woman that neuer had with man to do And that chylde ſholde be ſlayne / and tempred with his blood the morter of the werke. And ſoo ſholde the werke euer endure withouten ende.

SO whan Merlyn hadde herde all that his moder hadde ſayd. He ſpake to the kynge in this maner. ¶Syre how I was begoten axe ye no more For it be falleth not to you ne to none other to wyte. But telle me the cauſe wherfore I am to you brought & wherfore ye haue ſente after me. ¶Truely ſayd the kyng / my wyſe couſeyllers haue done me to vnderſtode / yt ye morter of a werke that I haue begonne / behouety to be thempred with your blood / or the foundament ſhall fayle for euer more. ¶Syr ſayd Merlyn. wyll ye ſlee me for my blood to tempre with your morter. ye ſayd the kyng / or elles my caſtell ſhall neuer ſtande as my coūſeyllers do me to vnderſtonde Tho- anſwerd Merlyn to the kyng. Syr he ſayd he ſayd / lete them come before me thoſe wyſe coū ſeylles & I woll preu they ſaye not well ne truly. And whan ye wyſe men were comen. Merlyn axed yf his blod were ye cauſe to make this werke to ſtōde & endure. All tho wyſe men were abaſſhed & coude not anſwere. Merlyn tho ſayd to the kynge. Syr I ſhall tell you ye cauſe wherfore your werke thus fayleth & may no • ſtande. There is vnder the moūtayne there yt ye haue buylded youre toure a grete ponde of water & ī ye botome of ye ponde vnder ye water there ben two dragons / & ye one is whyte & ye other reede / ye fyght togyd ayēſt your werke do ye myne depe eyll your men come to ye pond / & cauſe your men to take a way ye water all out / & thenne ye ſhall ſee ye dragans as I haue you tolde ye togyder fyght ayēſt your werke & this is the cauſe wherfor your foūdament fayleth The kynge anone lete dygge vnder that men came to the ponde / And lette doo a waye the water / and there they founde two dragons as Merlyn had tolde that egerly fought togyder The whyte dragon egerly aſſayled the reede and lyadde on hym ſo ſtrongely that he myght not endure / but withdrewe hym and reſted in the ſame caue. And whā he had a whyle reſted hym / he wente before & aſſayled the reede dragon angerly / & helde hym ſoo ſore yt he myght not ayenſte hym endure / but withdrewe hym & reſted And after came ayen ye whyte dragon and ſtrongly fought wyth the reede dragon. & bote hym euyl & ouercame. that he fledde from thens and nomore came agayne.

THis kynge vortyger and hys men that ſawe thys batayll had grete meruayſle and prayed Merlyn to tell him what it myght betoken. Syr quod Merlyn I ſhall telle you. The reede dragon betokeneth yourſelfe / and the whyte betokeneth the folke of Saxon that fyrſte ye toke & helde in your londe that fyght ayenſt you / and you haue dryuen & enchaced. ¶But Brytons of ynure lygnage ouercame them and droue them a waye And ſythen at ye comynge ayen of the Saxons they recouered this londe and helde it for euer more. And droue out the Brytons and dyde wyth this londe all they wyll / and deſtroyed cryſtēdom thrugh out thys londe. ye had fyrſte grete Ioye wyth theyr comynge / But now yt ys torned to you grete damage and ſorowe. For tho brethern of Conſtance that was kynge the whiche ye lete ſlee ſhal come before a quīzeme paſſed with a grete power from lytell Brytayne / & ſhall auenge the deth of theyr brother. And they ſhal brenne you fyrſt wyth ſorowe / and after they ſhall ſlee a grete parte of Saxons / & ſhall dryue out all the remenaūt of the londe. And therfore abyde ye here noo lenger to make caſtell nor other werke. But anone goo elles where youre lyues alle for to ſaue. To god I you betake / trouthe I haue ſayde to you of thynges that ſhalle befalle. ¶And vnderſtande ye welle that Aurilambros ſhalle be kynge But he ſhalle be enpoyſoned / and lytell tyme ſhall he regne

MErlyn and hys moder departed frome the kynge / and torned agayne to Carmardyn. And ſoone after tydynges came to ye Brytons that Aurilambros and vter his brother were arryued at Totneſſe wyth a greate hoſte / And anone the Brytons aſſembled thē and wente to receyue Aurylambros and Vter wyth grete nobleſſe. And had them vnto London / and crowned Aurylambros & made hym kynge / and dyde vnto hym homage. And anone he axed where. Vortyger that was kynge myght be founde / for he wolde be auenged on his brothers dethe / and after he wolde warre vpon paynems. And they tolde hym that Vortyger was in walys / & ſoo they ladde hym thyther warde. ¶Vortiger wyſte welle that tho brethern came hym to conquere / And fledde thens in to a caſtell that was called. Gerneth that ſtode vppon an hyght mountayne / and there hym helde. Aurilambros and Vter hys brother and theyr folke had beſyeged the caſtell full long tyme / for the cagell was ſtronge and well arrayed. ¶So at the laſte they caſted wylde fyre and brente howſes and men & all theyr araye: and as moche as was wythin the caſtell. Soo that Vortiger was brente amonge all other: and ſoo he deyde wyth moche ſorowe. ¶Tho was Engiſt in Kente and regned there: ane herde thys tydynges: and anone fledde and wolde haue gone in to Scotlonde for to haue had ſocoure. But Aurilambros and his men mette with hym in the north coū tre and yane hym batayl. And Engiſt and his men defended whyles that they myghte. But he and his folke were diſcomfyted and ſlayne And Octa his ſone fledde vnto yorke. And Aurilambros hym folowed egerly. And. Octa a lytell whyle withſtode hym: But after warde he put hym to his mercy. And aurilambros receyued hym: and to hym and to hys men gaafthe countree of Galewaye in. Scotlonde: and there they dwelled. ¶The kyng aurilambros wente thorugh out the londe: and put awaye the name of. Englonde: that. Engiſt after hys name had called it befoere. Tho lete he it calle agayne grete. Brytayne: and lete make ayen cherches: houſes of religyon: caſtelles: cytees and broughs. And towones that the. Saxons hadde deſtroyed. And came to London: and lete make the walles of the cyte: whyche Engiſt and his folke hadde caſtedowne. ¶The Brytons ladde hym vnto the mount of. Ambrian that ſomtyme was an hous of relygyon: that tho was deſtroyed thrughe the paynems:

¶wherof a knyght that was called Ambri ſometyme was founder of that houſe. And therfore the ſame hylle was called the mount of. Ambrian. And after it was called. Ambreſbury. And ſhall be ſo for euermore • .

HOw the kynge Aurilambros lete amende and redreſſe the houſe of Ambreſbury / and there in put monkes. But now there ben Nonnes a lytell fro the place that was called Salyſbury / are that the Saxons ſlewe the Brytons / where Engiſt and they ſhold haue made a laue daye. In the whyche tyme were ſlayne a thouſande knyghtes .lxi. thrugh treaſon of Engiſt· The kynge therof had grete pyte and thoughte to make in mynde of them a monument of ſtone that myght endure to the worldes ende. And of thys thynge they tooke ther counſeyll what therof was beſt for to do. ¶Tho ſpake to the kynge the byſſhop of London that was called Ternekyn that he ſholde requyre after. Merlyn. For he coude beſt telle how this thyng myght beſt be made. And merlyn after was ſought and founde and came to the kyng. And the kynge tolde hym hys wyll of the monumente that he wolde haue made. Merlyn anſwered to the kynge & ſayd. There ben grete ſtones in Irlonde and longe vpon the hylle of Kyan that men called. Gyauntes karoll. And yf they were in this place as they ben there / they wolde endure for eurer more in remembraunce of thoſe knyghtes that here be entyred. ¶Per may foy ſayd the kynge as harde ſtone ben in my londe as in Irlonde.

¶Soth ſayde Merlyn. But in all your londe ben none ſuche. For gaūtes ſette them for grete good of themſelf. For atte euery tyme that they were woūde or in ony maner hurte / they wyſſhe the ſtones with hote water / And thenne they wyſſhe them ther with and anone they were hoole.

AS ſoone as the. Brytons had herde of this thynge / they yede and ſwore amō ge them they wolde go ſeke thoſe ſtones. And toke with them. Vter the kynges broder to be thyef capytayne and .v. thouſande men / and Merlyn counſelled them for to go vnto Irlonde and ſoo thye dyde / And whan the kynge of Irlonde that was culled Guillomer herde tell ſtraungers were arryued in his londe / he aſſē bled a grete power & fought ayenſt them But he & his folke were dyſcomfyted. ¶The Brytons went before tyll they came to the mount of Kyan / and clymmed vp vnto the mounte. But whan they ſawe the ſtones & the maner how they ſtode / they had grete meruaylle and ſayde bytwene themſelf / that noo man ſholde them remeue for noo ſtrengthe ne engyne ſoo grete they were and ſoo longe. But. Merlyn thrugh his crafte he remeued them and broughte them in to theyr ſhyppes and came ayen in to thys londe. And Merlyn ſette the ſtones there that the kyng wolde haue them. And ſette them in the ſame manner that they ſtode in Irlonde / and whan ye kynge ſawe that it was made he thanked Merlyn / And rychely hym rewarded at his owne wyll. And that place lete calle Stonhenge for euer more.

ANd men ſhall vnderſtonde that Paſſent that was Vortigers ſone lyued ye ſame tyme / and came in to thys londe wyth a grete power / and arryued in the north coūtre & wolde be auēged of his faders deth Vortiger and ſtrongely truſted vpon the company that he had brought wyth hym out of the londe of Germayne / and had conquered all the North countree vnto yorke. ¶And whan kynge Aurilambros herde this he aſſemled a grete power of Brytons & went for to fyght with paſſēt & he dyſcomfyted Paſſent & all his peple. but Paſſent eſcaped thens with ſome of his men / & fledde thens in to Irlonde & come to kynge Guillomer & prayed hym of helpe and ſocour. The kynge graūted hym with good wyll and ſayde / that he wolde helpe hym / vppon that couenaunt that I my ſelfe muſte go with you with all my power in to brytayne. And I wolde me aduenge vpon the Broytons the rather for they came in to my londe & toke the ſtones with ſtrength that is called Gyauntes karoll ¶The kyng Guillomer lete ordeyne his ſhippes & went to the ſee with .xv. thouſāde men and arryued in walys & began to robbe / & moche ſorowe he dyde. ¶It befell ſo that kynge Aurilambros laye ſyke at wyncheſtre / & myghte not helpe hym ſelf. So that he ſente in his name Vter his brother with a power to helpe walys. And thyther warde he went as moche as he myght. ¶The kynge of Irlonde & Paſſente herde telle that Aurilambros was ſyke / & to hym there came a Sarraſyn that was called Cappa & ſayde. Syre dwelle ye here all in peas with your hoſt & I behyght you thorugh my quaynteſye ye I ſhall ſlee the kynge Aurilambros that is ſyke. Thenne ſayd Paſſent / yf ye doo ſo I ſhall you rychely auaunce. The traytour Cappa put vpon hym an habyte of relygyon / & lete ſhaue hym a brode crowne & came vnto the kynges courte / and ſayde that he wolde help • the kynge of his malady. Tho ſayd the traytour Cappa vnto the kyng. Syr be of good comforte. For I ſhall yeue you ſuche a medicyne that ye ſhalle ſwete anōe ryght & lyſte to ſlepe & haue good reſte. And the traytour yaaf hym ſuche poyſon to ſlepe anone ryghte / & deyed in hys ſlepynge. And ye traytour ſayd yt he wolde go out to the felde tyll he were awaked / & ſo eſcaped he awaye. For no man had to hym ſuſpeccyon / for by cauſe of his habyte that he was clothed ī / & alſo for hys brode ſhauen crowne. But whan the kynges men wyſte that he was deed / they became wonder ſory / and faſte ſoughte the traytoure / but they myghte not fynde hym· For ye Cappa torned ayen vnto the hoſte frem whes yt he came.

SO whan the kyng Aurilambros was deed & enpoyſoned at wincheſtre. On the morne after he was dede aboute the tyme of Pryme there was ſene a ſterre grete & clere & the beeme of that ſterre was brygheter thā ye ſonne. And at the bought of ye beeme apperyd a dragons heed / & out of hys mouth came two huge lyghtes / that were as bryght as ony fyre brennynge. & that one beeme to warde Fraunce and ſtreyght ouer the ſee thyther warde. And out of that beeme came .vii. beemes full clere and longe as it were the lyghte fyre. ¶This •• erre was ſeen of many a man / But none of them wyſte what it be tokened. ¶Vter that was the kynges brother / that was in walys wyth hys hoſte of Brytons / ſawe that ſterre & the grete lyght that it yaue / they wondred ther of gretly what it myghte betoken. And lete calle Merlyn and prayed hym for to telle what yt it myhght betoken.

AFter the dethe of. Aurilambros. Vter his brother was crowned and regned well & worthely. And in remembraunce of the dragon that he was lykened to / He lete make two dragons thrugh coūſeyll of his. Brytons And made that one for to be borne before hym whā he wēte in to batayll / and ye other for to abyde att wyncheſtre in the byſſhop chyrche. And for that cauſe he was called euer after vter Pendragon. ¶And Octa that was Engiſtes ſone cōmended vter but lytell yt was made newe kynge. And ayenſte hym began to meue warre. And ordeyned a grete power of his frē des & of hys kynne / and of. Oſſa hys brother \ and had taken all the londe from Humbre vnto yorke / But thoſe of yorke helde ſtrongely agaynſt them / and wolde not ſuffre them to come in to the cytee / neyther to yelde the cytee to them. And he beſyeged the towne anone ryght and yaue therto a ſtronge aſſawte. But they of the cyte them kept well & ſtrongely. ¶And whan vter herd therof / he came thyther wyth a grete ſtronge power for to helpe & reſcowe ye towne & put a way the ſyege / & yaue a ſtronge batayll. And Octa & his company them defended as well as they myght. But at ye laſte they were dyſcōfyted & the moſt partye of thē ſlayne. And. Octa and. Oſſa were taken & put in pryſon at London. ¶And vter hymfelf dwelled a whyle atte yorke / and after he wente to London. And at the Eeſter after he wold vere crowne & holde a ſolempne feeſt. And lette ſomone all his Erle and Barons / that they ſholde come to that feeſt. And all thoſe that hadde wyues ſholde brynge them alſo to that feeſt. And all the ſeygnoury came at the kynges cō maundemente as they were commaunded. ¶The feeſt was rychely arayed and holden. And all worthely ſette to meete after that they were of aſtate. Soo that the· Erle Gorloys of Cornewaylle and. Igreyne his wyf ſate nexte vnto the kynge. And whan the kyng ſawe the fayrneſſe of that lady and the beaute that ſhe had. He was anone rauyſſhed for her beaute and often he made to her nyce countenaunce in lokynge and laughynge. So at the laſte the Erle perceyued the preuy lokynge and laughynge and the loue bytwene them. And roſo vp from the table in wrathe / and toke his wyf • nd called to hym hys knyghtes and wente thens wrath / wythout takynge leue of ye kynge. ¶The kynge anone ſente after hym that he ſholde come agayne and goo not thens in dyſpyte of hym. And the erle wolde not come agayne in no maner of wyſe. ¶wherfore the kynge was wrothe / and in wrathe hym defyed as his deedly enmye. ¶And the erle wente thens in to Cornewaylle with his wyfe in the caſtell of Tyntagyll. ¶And the kynge lete ordeyne a grete hoſt and came in to Cornewaylle / for to deſtroye the erle yf that he myghte. But he hadde put hym in ſuche a caſtell that was ſtronge and welle arayed called. Tyntagyll / and wollde not yelde hym to the kynge. ¶And the kynge anone beſyeged the called / & there dwelled .xv. dayes that neuer myghte ſpede / and euer he thought vppon Igreyne / & vpon her layde ſo moche loue / That he wyſte not what to doo. ¶So at the laſte he called to hym a knyght that was called vlfin that was preuy wyth hym and tolde hym all hys counſeyll / and axed hym wha • was beſt for to done ¶Syr ſayde he / ſende after Merlyn anone / for he came telle you the beſte counſeyll of ony man lyuynge Merlyn anone was ſente after & came to the kynge. And the kynge tolde hym all his counſeyll and his wyll. Syr ſayd Merlyn. I ſhall doo ſo moche thrugh crafte that I can / that I ſhalle make you come to nyght 〈◊〉 the caſtell of. Tyntagyll / & ſhall haue all yo • wyll of that lady.

MErlyn thrugh craft yt he co • 〈…〉 the kynges fygure in • 〈…〉 of the Erle / and Vlfin Garlois 〈…〉 in to the fygure of Iorda • 〈…〉 erles chambrelayne / ſo that ec • 〈…〉 tranſfygured in to others lyke • 〈…〉 Merlyn had ſoo done / he ſayde 〈…〉 Syr ſayd he / now ye may goo • 〈…〉 caſtell of Tyntagyll & axe ene • 〈…〉 your wyll. The kynge toke pry • 〈…〉 to gouerne and lede to a knyght that he moche loued / & tooke his waye towarde the caſtell / & with hym toke Vlfin his Chambrelayne and Merlyn / & whan they came thyder the porter demyd it had ben hys owne lorde. And whan tyme came for to go to bedde / the kynge went to bedde with Igreyne the erles wyf and dyde with her alle his wyll. And begate vpon her a ſone that was called Arthur. And vppon the more we the kynge tooke his leue of the lady & wente ayen to hys hoſte. And the ſame nyghte that the kynge laye by Igreyne in bedde that was the erles wyf the kynges men gaaf a grete aſſawte vnto the caſtell. And the erle & hys men manly them defended. But at the laſte it befell ſo / that in the ſame aſſawte the erle hym ſelf was ſlayne & the caſtell taken. ¶And the kynge anone torned againe to Tyntagill and ſpowſed I greyne with moche honour & made her quene ¶And ſoone after tyme came that ſhe ſholde be lyuered & bare a chylde a ſonne yt was called Arthur. & after gate on her a doughter that was called Amya▪ / And whan ſhe came to aege / a noble. Baron that was lorde of Lyons weded her. ¶whan Vter longe tyme had regned / ther came vpon hym a grete ſykeneſſe as it were a ſorowe. ¶And in ye meane tyme thoſe that had to kepe Octa yt was Engiſtes ſone & Oſſa his brother / that then̄e were in pryſon / they lete them go for grete yeftes that they them yaue & went wyth thē. And whan tho two brethern were eſcaped & were in to theyr owne countree agayne / Thenne they ordeynede them a gret power of folke and began for to warre ayen vpon the kynge.

ANd for as moche as kynge Vter was ſyke & myght not helpe hym ſelf / he or • Aloth ſone of Eleyne that tho was cho • 〈◊〉 to be wardeyne and chyeftayne of alle 〈…〉 . And ſoo he anone and all hys Bry • • mbled a grete hoſte & yaue bataylle to 〈…〉 his folke / but Octa at the laſt was 〈◊〉 . ¶It befell thus after warde / 〈…〉 •• ytons had dedignacion of Aloth 〈…〉 • othe to hym attendaūt. wherfore 〈…〉 • as anoyed wonder ſore & lete put 〈…〉 in the hoſte amonges his folke 〈…〉 • de hym to. Vereloyne yt tho was a fayre cyte / there that ſaynt. Albon was martred. And after was the cytee deſtroyed wyth paynems thrugh warre· & thyther they hadde ſente. Octauian and. Oſſa & ther people. And entered in to the towne / and lete make ſure ye yates / & there they helde them. And the kynge came & them beſyeged / & made a ſtrōge aſſawte / but the that were within manly theym deffended / ¶The kyng lete ordeyne his gunnes and his engynes for to breke the walles / & the walles were ſoo ſtronge that no man myghte them myſdo. ¶Octa & his people had grete deſpyte / that a kynge lyenge in a letere had the ym beſyeged. And they toke counſeyll among them for to ſtande vp in the morowe erly and come out and yeue batayll to the kynge / & ſoo they dyde. And in that batayle were both Octa and Oſſa ſlayne / & all the other ye eſcaped a lyue fledde in to Scotlonde / & made Colegyn theyr chyeftayne. & the Saxons yt were a lyue & eſcaped fro the batayll / brougth ayen a grete ſtrēgth & amōge thē they ſayd that if kyng Vt were deed they ſholde well conquere the londe and thought to enpoyſen the kynge / & ordeyned men for to do this dede / & yaue them of yef tis grete plente this thynge to do. And they ordeyned them thyderwarde there that ye kynge was dwellyng / and clothed them in poore wede the better all for to ſpede theyr fals purpoſe But neuertheles all theyr falſenes & ſubtylte they myght neuer come to nygh ye kyng. But ſo at the laſt they aſpyed that the kynge dranke noo other lycoure but only water of a clere wel tha • was nyghe beſyde & ye fals traytours vpon a daye preuely wente to the welle & put therin poyſon / ſoo that all the water was enpoyſoned. And anone after as the kynge had dronke of that water / he began to ſwelle / and ſoone after he deyed: and as many as dranke of that water deyed alſo. And anone as thys was aſpyed folke of the towne lette ſtoppe the welle of euermore. ¶whan ye kynge was deed his folke bare hym to Stonhenge wyth grete ſolempnyte of byſſhops and barons that were there hym to burye beſyde Aurilambros hys bro • her. And after torned ayen tho euerychone and ſent after his ſone: and they made him kyng of the londe with moche reuerence after his faders deth: the .xvii. yere of his regne.

THen̄e whan Guillomer that was kynge of Irlonde herde tydyges ye kynge Arthur was entred at Glaſtenbury: he ordeyned agrete pewer of Iryſſhmen and came to the ſee wyth his Iryſſhe people; & ſoo came in to Scotlonde ouer the ſee & arryued faſt there by that kynge. Arthur was with his hoſte: & a none as he wyſt therof: he went to warde hym and yaue hym bataylle & ouercame hym anone ryght. And Guillomer fledde wyth hys mē agayne in to Irlond. And whan thys was done and dyſcomfyted hym Arthur torned hym ayen there that he was: in to the place there that he had lefte the Scottes and wolde haue them all ſlayne. But the byſſhopes: abbottes and other folke of ye countree and ladyes open heeded came before kynge. Arthur and cryed hym mercy and ſayde. Syre gentyll kynge & myghty: haue mercy and pyte vpon vs. And as yourſelf be of the ryght lawe to holde and mayntene Cryſtendome. For full grete dyſhoudur yt ſhold be to ſlee hym that byleueth in almyghty god as ye do. And for goddes loue haue mercy and pyte on vs & ſuffre vs. For we haue hadde moche ſorowe and payne. For the Saxons haue many tymes paſſed thrugh our londe. But that is not ynough to you: for often tymes they haue done vs ſorowe & dyſeaſe For our caſtelles they haue taken and our beeſtes ſlayne & eten: and moche harme they haue vs done And yf ye wolde vs now ſlee: it were none honour to a kynge to ſlee them that crye hym mercy. For ynough ye haue done to vs & haue vs ouercome. And for ye loue of god yt ye wyll ſuffre vs for to lyue: & haue mercy on cryſten people yt byleue in Cryſt as ye do. ¶whā kynge. Arthur herde this ſorowe: he had pyte of them & yaue them lyf & lymme without ony more harme. And they fell downe to his feet & thanked hym and became his lyege men: and he toke of them homage. ¶And after ye kynge Arthur torned ayen wyth hys hoſte the came vnto yorke: and made there hys bydynge durynge that vyage. And tho gaue he al Logrys to Aloth that had ſpowſed his ſyſter and other gyftes grete plente· And tho was Gawen his coſyn but of youge • ege. And to all hys other men that hym had ſerued in hys warre / he gaue ryche gyftes / and thanked them moche of all theyr good ſeruyce

ANd after warde yt befel thus at Eſter there that he helde a feeſt at. Paras / & rychely he gan auaūce his knyghtes for ye ſeruyce that they had hym holpen in hys cōqueſt. He yaue to hys ſtewarde that was called. Kay Augien & Angoers. And he yaue to Bed were his. Butler. Normandye / that tho was called Neuſtrye And to Holdē in hys chambrelayn he yaue Flaunders & Mance And to Dorell hys coſyn he yaue Bolayne. And to Rycharde hys enewe he yaue Pountyf / and to all other he yaue large londes and fees after they were of eſtate / And whan Arthur had thus his knyghtes feoffed / at Aperyll next after ſuynge he came ayen in to Brytayne hys owne londe. And after at wytſontyde ſewynge by counſeyll of his Barons / he wolde be crowned kynge of Glomergon / and helde a ſolempne feeſt. And lete ſomone barons erls and knyghtes / yt they ſhold come thyder euery chone. and there was Scater kynge of Scotlande. Cad were kynge of South waylys. Guiliomer kyng of North walys. Maded kyng of Irlonde. Malgamus kynge of Gutlonde. Achelles kynge of Iſlonde. Aloth kyng of Denmarke. Gone was kynge of Norwaye / and Hell hys coſyn kynge of Dorkeney. Cador kynge of lytell Brytayne. Mor with Erle of Cornewaylle. Mauran erle of Gloucetre. Guerdon erle of wyncheſtre. Boell erle of Hartforde. Vrtegi erle of Oxforde. Cuiſall erle of Bathe. Ionas Erle of Cheſtre. Enerall erle of Dorcheſtre. Kymare Erle of Salyſbury. waloth erle of Caunterbury. Iugerne erle of Checheſtre. Arall erle of Leyceter / and the erle of wer wyke / & many other moo ryche lordes. Brytons there came moo / that is to ſaye. Dippon Donande. Gennes / & many other that be not named here were atte the feeſt. And many a fayre feeſt kynge arthur hadde holde before / but neuer none ſuche / ne ſoo ſolempne / and that laſted .xv. dayes wyth moche honoure and myrthe. ¶Of the letter yt was ſēt fro Rome to pryde to kynge Arthur

THe thyrde daye as kynge Arthur ſatte at his meet amonge his knyghtes and amonge them that ſatte at the feſte / before thē cam in ·xii. men of age rychely arayed / and curteuſly they ſalewed the kynge / and ſayde they came fro Rome ſente as maſſengers fro the Emperoure. And toke hym a letter that thus moche was to vnderſtād· ¶Gretely vs maruaylleth arthur / that thou art ones ſo hardy with thyn eyen in thy heed to make open warre or contake ayenſt vs of rome / that owne all the worlde to redeme / For thou haſte neuer yet before thys tyme proued ne aſſayed the ſtrengthe of the Romās / and therfore though it ſhall in a lytell tyme. For Iulyus Cezar conquered all the londe of Brytayne / ayd toke therof truage / and our folke haue it longe I had / & nowe throughe thy pryde thou with holde it. wherefore we of Rome commaunde the that thou yt yelde ayen / and yet haſte thou more foly done that thou haſte ſlayne Froll that was our baron of Fraunce with wrōge. And therfore all the comens of Rome warneth the & cōmaūde the vpon lyfe & lymme that thou in haſte be at Rome amendes for to make of thy myſdedes that thou haſte done. And it ſo be that thou come not we ſhall paſſe the hyll of Ioye with ſtrē gthe / and we ſhall the ſeke where euer thowe may be founde / & thou ſhalt not haue a foot of londe of thyn owne / yt we ne ſhall dyſtroye it / & afterwarde with thy body we ſhall do al our wyll. whan this letter was redde & all men it herde they were anoyed all yt were at ye ſolempne feſte. And the Brytons wolde haue ſlayne ye meſſengers / but the kynge wolde not ſuffre them & ſayde / that ye meſſengers ſholde haue no harme / & may by reaſon none deſerue But commaūded them to be worſhypfully ſerued And after meet he toke coūſeyll of kynges / erles & barons / what anſwere he myght geue ayen to the meſſengers and they coūſeylled him atones / that he ſhulde aſſemble a grete power of al ye lōdes of whiche he had lordeſhyp & mā ly auenge hym vpon the Emperour of the deſpyte that he had ſēde hym ſuche a letter & they ſwore by god & by all his holy name that they ſholde hym purſewe & bren̄e as moche as they myght And ſayde that they wolde neuer fayle kynge Arthur / & rather to be deed. And they lete wryte a letter to ſende to the Emperour by the ſame meſſengers in this manere of wyſe· Of the bolde anſwere that kynge Arthur ſēte to the Emperour of Rome & to the Romans

VNderſtondeth amonge you of Rome that I am kynge Arthur of Brytayne and freely it holde and ſhall holde. And at Rome haſtely I wyll be / not to geue you truage / but for to axe truage. For Conſtantyne that was Eleyns ſone that was Emperour of Rome & of all the honour that ther to belongeth. And Maximian kynge conquered all Fraunce and Almayne / and mount Ioye paſſed and conquered all Lombardy. And theſe two were myn auncetours / and that they helde and had. I ſhall haue thorught goddes wyll.

ANd whan this letter was made & enſealed / kynge Arthur to theſe meſſēgers & gaue grette yeftes / and after that the meſſengers toke theyr leue and wente thens / and came to the courte of Rome agayne. And tolde the Emperour how worthely they were receyued And alſo of ſuche a ryall company that he hadde hym for to ſerue / and howe he was more ryally ſerued than the Emperour of Rome or ony other kynge lyuynge in all the worlde. ¶And whan the Emperour had ouerſene the letter / and hadde harde what was therin and ſawe yt Arthur wolde not be ruled after hym. He lete aſſemble and ordeyne a grete hoſte for to deſtroye kynge Arthur yf that he myghte. ¶And kyng Arthur as touchynge hys power and partye / ordeyned hys power or knyghtes of the table rounde.

AS Arthur had taken to. Mordred hys reame to kepe: & gone ayenſt ye Emperour of rome: & was paſſed ye ſee. Mordred anōe toke homages & feates of all theym yt were ī this londe: & wolde haue had this londe to his owne vſe: & toke caſtelles about: & lete thē be arayed. & after thys falſeneſſe he dyde an other grete wronge: for ayenſt ye lawe of cryſtē te he tooke hys owne emys wyf as a traytour ſhold: ordeyned him a grete hoſt ayēſt arthurs comyng: to hold ye londe ayenſt hym with ſtrē gthe for euer more: & to ſlee kyng Arthur yf he myght & ſent by ye ſee & by londe: & lete aſſēble paynems & cryſten peple. And he ſent to Saxons & to Danys for to helpe hym. & alſo. Mordred ſent to Cheldrik to ſende men to hy mour of. Saxon yt was a worthy duke / & promyſed hym yf that he brought wyth hym moche people he wylde graunte hym. Inherytaunce for euer / all the londe fro Humbre to Scotlonde / and all the londe that Engiſt hadde of. Vortigers ye • re / whan that he ſpowſed hys doughter. ¶And cheldrik came with a grete ſtrengthe and power of people / and. Mordred hadde aſſembled alſo on his half / that they hadde .xl. thouſande of ſtronge knyghtes whan that they hadde nede.

AS kynge Arthur wyſte that he myght noo lenger regne / he lette come before hym Conſtantyne yt was Cadors ſone Erle of Cornewayle his coſyn & to hym betoke all his reame & toke him ſayd / & bad hym therof to be kynge tyll that he came ayen / for as moche as he had none heeyre of hys body begoten. And grete damage was it / that ſoo noble a kynge and ſoo doughty as he was / hadde noo chylde of his body begoten. But all thynge that god woll haue done muſt be done / whoſe name be bleſſyd wythout ende

THis Conſtantyne was a noble knyght and a worthy of body. And tho two ſones that. Mordred had begoten had grete enuy of Conſtātyne that tho was crowned kynge. And ſo it befell yt they meued warre ayenſt hym. And aſſembled a grete hoſt of them that were before with Mordred / & had ben dryuen a waye / & that dyd moche ſarowe & anguyſſhe thrughout all that londe. That one brother ordeyned / & purpoſed hym towarde the auncyent Cyte of London for to take ye cyte And that other went to wyncheſtre. But Conſtantyne came to Lōdon & ſlewe hym yt was there. And after he went to wȳcheſtre & ſlewe hym yt was there alſo. So yt bothe his enmyes were deed. ¶And whan Conſtantyne had regned well & worthely four yere / he deyed & lyeth at Lōdon.

AFter kynge Conſtantynes dethe there were two kynges in Brytayne / ye one was called. Adelbryght yt was a danoys. And he helde the coūtree of. Norfolke &. Southfolke. That other hyght Edell & was a. Bryton \ and helde Nicholl. Lendeſer / and all the londe vnto. Humbre. Theſe two kynges faſte warred togyder / but after accorded they were and loued togyder / as they had ben borne of oo body. ¶The kynge Edell had a ſuſter that was called Orewenne. And he gaf her thrught grete freodſhyp to kyng. Adelbryght to wyf. And he begate vpon her a doughter that was called. Argentyll. And in the thyrde yere after came vpon hym a ſtrange ſykeneſſe that nedes he muſt deye. And he ſente to kynge. Edell hys broder in lawe that he ſholde come and ſpeke wyth hym / and he came to hym wyth a good wyll. ¶Tho prayed he the kynge and coniured hym alſo in the name of god / That after whan he were deed / he ſholde take hys doughter Argentyll and the londe / and that he kepte her welle / and nouryſſhe her in hys chambre. And whan ſhe were of aege / ſhe ſholde be maryed to the ſtrongeſt and worthyeſt man that he myghte fynde / and thenne he ſholde yelde vp her londe ayen. ¶Edell it graunted and by othe confermed hys prayer. ¶And whan Adelbryght was deed and enteryd / Edell tooke the damoyſell. Argentyll / and nourrſſhed her in hys chambre: and ſhe became as fayre as ony myghte be.

AFter this Curan regned his coſyn Conan that was a wonder proude knyghte. And regned and coude haue noo maner of loue / but euer he was medlynge wyth hys people. And tooke his vncle with warre and ſlewe his two chyldern. ¶The Saxons warred ayenſt hym oftentymes: but he them ouer came: and ſoo he was in peas all his lyf tyme· And he regned .xiiii. yere: And after he deyed and lyeth at London.

COrtyf the kyng fledde thens in to Checheſtre that tho was ſtronge / and there helde hym .xx. dayes / & this Gurmonde came and it beſyeged. But the cytee was ſo ſtronge that he myght not gete it by no maner of wyſe with engyne that they myght doo. Tho bethought they vpon a ſubtylte for to brenne the towne. They made engynes wyth glewe of nettes / & toke pecys of thunder & of fyre & bonde it to ſparowes feet & than lete them flee and they anōe flewe & lodged thē in ye towne ther yt theyr neſtis were / & in ſtackes & eueſynges of houſes / & ye fyre began to kyndle & brente all ye towne / And whan the. Brytons ſawe that in euery ſyde they hyed them out & fought / but anone they were ſlayne and dyſcomfyted / And whyle batayll dured the kynge pryuely hydde hym and ſtale awaye in to walys / & men wyſt neuer where he became / and ſoo was the towne of Checheſtre taken and deſtroyed. And after. Gurmonde wente and deſtroyed townes and cytees that neuer were after made ayen / as it is ſeen yet in many places of thys londe.

SO whan. Gurmonde had deſtroyed al the londe thrugh out: he yaue the londe to the Saxons: & anone they toke it with good wyll / for the Saxons longe tyme had deſyred it. For aſmoche as they wereof. Engiſtꝭ kynred that fyrſt had all the londe of. Brytayne & lete them be called. Englyſſmen: for by cauſe of Engiſtes name: & the lond they lete call Englonde in theyr langage: & the folke ben called Englyſhmen: for aſmoche as in thys tyme it was called Engiſtꝭ londe whan he had cōquered it of. Vortiger: that ſpouſed hys doughter But fro the tyme yt Brute came fyrſt in to Englonde: thys londe was called. Brytane: and the folke Brytons. But ſyth the tyme yt thys Gurmonde conquered it eftſones and yaue it vnto the. Saxons: they anone ryght chaūged the name as before is ſayde. And whan thys was done. Gurmonde paſſed ouer in to Fraū ce: & there conquered many londes: & deſtroyed all criſten peple there that he came. And the Saxons dwelled in this londe and began faſt to enhabyte it at ther owne wyll. And they wolde haue made newe kyngis & lordes: but they myght neuer aſſent to haue only oo kynge for to be to them attendaunt / & therfore they made many kynges in dyuerſe ſhyres: as it was in Engiſtes tyme. The fyrſte kyngdome was Kente: & that othe. Southſexe: and the thyrde weſtſex / the fourth Eeſtſex / & the fyfth Nothū berlonde / and ye ſixth Eſtangle that is to ſaye Northfolke / and Southfolke and the ſeuenth Mercheryche / and that is the Erldoſte of Nycholl. Hūtyngdon. Herforde. Gloucetre. wynlcheſtre. wer wyke & Derby / and ſo departed all Englond in to .vii. partyes. ¶And after that it befell that tho kyngꝭ warred oft tymes togyder. And euer he that was ſtrongeſt toke hym that was febleſt / and ſoo it was longe tyme yt they had noo kynge crowned amonge theym / ne no cryſten man was tho amonge them / ne cryſtendome nather. But were paynems tyll that ſaynt Gregory was pope of: Rome / that had ſeen childern of the nacyon of Englonde in the cyte of Rome / that were wonder fayre creatures / & had grete wyll and deſyre theym to beholde. And axed of ye marchaūtes whens they were / and of what nacyon. And men tolde hym that they were of Englonde / and Inglyſſhe they were called / but they & all the people of Englonde were paynems: and byleued not vpon god. ¶Alas ſayde ſaynt Gregory: well maye they be called Englyſſhe: for they haue the vyſages of angels and therfore well ought they to be cryſtened. And for this cauſe ſaynt Gregory thereſente ſaynt. Auſtyn in to Englōde & .xl. good mē with hym that were of good lyf & holy men to preche & teche & to comuetre the Englyſſhe people & them to torne to god: & that was in the .vi. yere that ſaynt Gregory had be pope of Rome / that is to ſaye / ofter thyn carnacyon of our lorde Iheſu Cryſte .v.C.lxxxv. yeres as the Cronycle telleth.

IT be tell ſoo that there was a kynge of Brytons that helde the countree of Leycetre and alle the countree aboute / hys name was Brecinall. And this Bryton herde telle that tho two Englyſſhe kynges wolde mete there at Leycetre for to goo in to walys. He lete ordeyne all the power that he had for to goo fyght with theſe two kynges / but lytel it auayled hym / for his folke that he had were ſlayne and hymſelf fledde / & loſte his londes for euer more. ¶And theſe two kynges Adelbryght & Elfryde dwelled a whyle at Leycetre / and departed the londe amonge them / and tooke homagꝭ and feautees of the folke of the countree And after they wente to warde walys and thot of walys herd telle of theſ comfyture that Breic • all had at Leycetre / and were wonder for adrad of tho two kyngeꝭ. And tooke and thoſe amonge them good men and hooly of hemytes monkes and preeſtes / & of other people grete plentye that wente bare foote and wulwarde for ta haue mercy of thes two kynges / but tho kynges were ſo ſterne & ſo wyked yt they wold neuer ſpeke to thē but them ſlewe euerychone Alas for ſorowe / for they ne ſpared them noomore than the wulfe dothe the ſhepe / but ſmot of theyr heedes euerychone / & ſo they were all martrd that to them came / that is to vnderſtande .v.C. & .xl. After they wente fro thens to Bangor for to ſlee all thoſe that ther myghte there fynde of the Brytons. And whan ye Brytouns herde that / they aſſembled and ordened all ther power for to fyght with thyem. Two was there a baron in walys that was called. Bledrik of Cornewayle that ſome tyme was lorde of Deuenſhyre but the kynge. ¶Adelbright had dreuen hym out in to walys and after there he yaue them batayll. And at that batayll was kynge Adelbright ſlayne and Efrydeſore woūded & forſoke the felde / & the mooſt partye of his people ſlayne. And Elfryde flede in to Northumberlonde that was his owne lō de· ¶And after that the people of Leycetre ſhyre made with ſtrenght Cadewan yt was Brycinals ſone kynge of Leceytre / And he afterregned nobly and with grete honour.

CAdwaldre ſawe grete hungre mortalyte & peſtylence / and the londe all poore / & faylynge cornes ād other vytaylles / and his folke peryſſhed / & ſawe alſo the mooſte partye of his londe all waſted & voyde of people. He apparelled hym and his folke that were lefte alyue / and paſſede ouer in to lytell Brytayne with a lytell nauy vnto kynge Alayne that he moche loued / that was his coſyn and that his fader hadde moche loued in his tyme. And as they ſayled in the ſee / he made moche lamentacyon / and ſo dyde alle tho that were with hym and ſayde. (Dediſti nos domine tanquan • oues eſcarū. et in gentibus diſperſiſti nos)

ANd thenne began Cadwaldre to complayne hym to his folke pyteouſly and ſayd· Alas ſayd he / to vs wretches & caytyues is ſorowe for our grete ſynnys / the whiche we wolde not amende vs whyle we had ſpace / & now repentaunce is comen vpon vs throughe my ſauenture / whiche chaced vs out of oure reame and propre ſoyle. And out of the whiche ſomtyme Romayns. Becottes. Saxons / neyther Danys myght not exyle vs. ¶But what auaylleth it now to vs that before tyme / oft tymes haue goten many other londes / ſyth it ys not the wyll of god that we abyde and dwelle in our owne londe. God that is very Iuge yat all thynges knoweth before they ben done or made / he ſeeth that we wolde not ceſſe of oure ſynnes / and that our enmyes myghte not vs ne our lygnage exyle fro / and out of our reame He wolde that we amende vs of oure folyes and that we ſee our propre defautes.

And therfore hath ſhewed to vs wrathe / and woll chaſtyſe vs of our myſdedes. Syche that he doth vs with out batayll / or ſtrength of our enmyes / by grace companyes / wretcchedly to leue our reame & propre londe. ¶Torne ayen ne ye Romanys / torne agayne ye Scottes torne agayne ye Saxxons / torne agayne ye Fraū ſoys. Now ſeweth to you Brytayne all deſerte the whiche your power myght neuer make deſerte / ne yet oure power hathe not put vs now in exyle But onely the power of the kynge allmyghty whom we haue often offended by our folyes / the whiche we wolde not leue vntyll he chaſtyced vs by dyuyne power ¶Amonge the worldes & lamentacyon that the kynge Cadwhldre made to his folke / they arryued ī lytell Brytayne / and came to kynge Alayne before ſayd ¶And the kynge receyued hym with grete Ioye / and made hym to be ſeruede wonder nobly. And there abode they longe tyme after ¶The Engleſſhe people that were left a lyue and were eſcaped the grete hungre and mortalyte / lyued in the beſt wyſe that they myght. And moche people ſprange and came of them ¶And they ſente in to Saxonye where that they were borne to ther frendes for men / wyemen / and chyldren / to reſtore the cytees with people and the townes that were all voyde of people / and for to laboure / traueyll and tylthe the erthe. ¶whan the Saxons herde theſe tydynges / they came in to ye londe wonder thyeke in grete companyes / and herborowed therſelfe in the countree all aboute where that they wolde / for they founde no man them for to lete ne withſtonde. And ſo they waxed & multeplyed gretely. And vſed the maners and cuſtomes of the countree wherof they were come. And they vſed alſo the lawes and the langages and ſpeche of theyr owne londe that they came fro. And alſo they chaunged all the names of Cytyes / twones / caſtelles / & brought / & yaue them names and called as they nowe ben called And they helde the Counrees. Baronages & lordeſhyps in manere as the Brytons before tyme had compaſſed them / And amonge other grete companyes that came frome Germayne in to this londe / came the noble quene that was called Se • burga with men & wymmen without nombre· And arrayed in the coū tree of Northumberlonde / and tooke the londe frome Ilbion vnto Cornewaylle for her & for her folke. For there was none that myght thē lette / for alle was deſolace & voyde of people / but it were a fewe poore Brytons that were lefte on mountayns & woddes vntyll that tyme. ¶And fro that tyme forthe loſte the Brytons this reame for all theyr dayes. And the Englyſſhe people begane to regne / and departed the lōde bytwene them. And they made many kynges aboute by dyuerſe partyes of the londe as here ben dyuyded. The fyrſt of weſteſexe / The ſecond • Merchenriche / The thyrde Eſtangle / the fourthe Kente / the fyfth Southſex. All thoſe regned in this londe after ye Cadwaldre was paſſed out of this londe / & dwelled in lytell Bryten with kynge Alayne his coſyn and true frende. And whan he had longe dwellede there / and had knowynge that the mortalyte and peſtelence was ouerpaſſed / & that the londe was replenyſſhed / ayen wyth people / he thought to torne ayen in to his londe And prayed kynge Alayne his coſyn of ſocour & helpe yt he myghte be reſtored ayen to his owoe propre reame and fyrſte dygnyte / And kynge Aleyne graunted hym his aſkynge. ¶Thenne dyde he appareylle hym to take his wayt and vyage in to this londe. And prayed god allmyghty deuoutly that he wolde make to hym demonſtracyon / yf his prayer to this londe were too hyme pleſaunt or none / for ayenſte the wyll of god allmyghty he wolde no thynge do. ¶whā he had thus deuoutly made his prayer / avoys fro heuen to hym ſayd. And hadde hym leue ye Iurney a waye in to Englonde / and that he ſholde goo to the pope of Rome for it was not the wyll of almyghty god yt the Brytons ſholde regne more in Brytane / ne neuer recouered it vnto the tyme of the prophecye that Marlyn ſayd before he fu • fylled. And that ſholde neuer be vnto ye tyme were come / that the relyques of his body ſhall be broughte fro Rome & tranſlated in to Brytayne / And whan the ralykes of other ſayntes that haue ben hedde for ye perſecucyon of the paynem folke ſhall be founde & openly ſhewed / thenn ſhalle they recouer theyr londe agayne / the whyche they haue ſoo longe tyme loſte throughe theyr deſertes. ¶whane Cadwaldre hadde herde this anſwere / he maruayled gretely and tolde it to the kynge Aleyne ¶Thene kynge Aleyne dyde ſende for the clergye of his londe / and made them to brynge the ſtoryes and prophecyes that Merlyn and Sybyll had ſayd in theyr prophcyes. And whan he knewe that the prophycye that Feſtom had prophecyed of the Egle. And other prophecyes accorded to the dyuyne aunſwere that Caddewalldre had herde. He counſelled hym & ryght faythfully deſyred hym to leue his people and his nauy / & ſubmytte hym to the dyſpocyſyon of god / and do all that the aungell had cōmaū ded hym. ¶Thenye Cadwaldre called y • or his ſone and ymori his coſyn that was his ſyſters ſone / & ſayd to them. Taketh ſayde he my folke & my nauy that is here all redy / & paſſe into walys and be ye lordees of Brytons that no dyſhonoure come to them by interrupcyon of the Paynem folke for defaute of lordes. ¶And thene hymſelfe lefte his reame of Brytayne and his folke for euer more / and tooke his waye vnto the pope of Rome Sergius the whyche worſhypede hym moche / and ſo he was confeſſed / and toke penaunce for hys ſynnes. And he had not longe dwelled there that he ne deyed / the .xii. Kalendis in Maye • the yere of grace .v.C.lxxii.

SO whan Saynt Edmonde was martred. Hungar and Hubba yede thens wyth all the Danys vnto Redynge. & as they wente thyderwarde they brente townes and tyees / & ſlewe all cryſten pele yt woldē opnote forſake hod / & caſte downe chyrche & came to Redynge & toke the towne & there helde them tyll that the kynge Edelf of weſtſex came thyther with all his power for to take the townes Tho came out the Danys for to yeue batayll to Edelf / & at that batayll was ſlayne an erle of the Danys that was called Sidrak. Vpon the morowe came kynge Eldred and hys brother Alured wyth a ſtronge power and a grete hoſte. And the kynge Edelf came agayne that had foughten the daye before to that bataylle And the Danys tho cam out for to fyght wyth theym / and the bataylle was wonder ſtronge For many a man was there ſlayne & the Danys that daye had the vyctorye / & the kyng Eldred & hys brother Alared that daye were dyſcomfyted. ¶But the fourth daye after warde the Danys & the Englyſſhe fought tohyder an other tyme vpon Elkedene / & there was ſlayne a kynge of Denmarke that was called Rafin and foure erles of grete power. And that daye had the Danys ſhame / for they were dryuen vnto Engilfelde. ¶And the .xv. day after the Danys & the Englyſſhe men fought an ather tyme at Rafynge & there were the Englyſſhemen dyſcomfyted / & from thens a dane yt was called Roynt wente to redynge with his hoſte and deſtroyed all that he myght take. And kinge Eldred faught wyth hym / but he was woū ded ſore wherfore he deyed / and he regned but .v. yere / and lyeth at womborn.

LEo the fyrſt was Emperour after Marcianus .xvii. yere. In hys tyme were the Ragacyon dayes ordeyned afore ye Aſcenſyon of ſaynt Marmer byſſhop of Vyenne. ¶The pope of Rome at that tyme hyght Leo a noble clerke / & with hym had many clerkes. ¶Hellar us was pope after Leo .vii. yere This mā ordeyned yt no byſſhop ſholde ordeyne hys ſucceſſary) vt pꝪ .viii.ix.i. ¶Simpliciꝰ was pope after hym / whyche ordeyned that noo clerke ſholde take noo garment to be clothed in after the ſeculer maner of a laye man / by the reaſon of his offyce or of his benefyce. ¶zeno was Emperour after. Leo .xv. yere / and thys man was an heretyke and cruell ayenſt criſtē men. And in this mānes dayes the bodyes of ſaynt Mathewe the Euangelyſt & ſaynt Barnaby were foūde / & with them the goſpell that ſaynt Mathewe wrote. ¶Aboute this tyme there was a certayne comyn womā bare .vii: chyldern at on byrth / of the whyche one was made after kynge of Lombardye. ¶Felix the thyrde was pope after Symplicius thre yere and .viii. monethes. This man ordeyned that reſpyte ſholde be yeuen to a man that was accuſed that he myght auyſe hym how heſhlode anſwere And that the Iuges and the accuſers ſholde be ſuche / and that they ſholde take alle ſuſpeccyon and ſpytte. ¶Gelaſius a Romayne was pope after Felix .v. yere Thys man ordeyned the Canon of the maſſe. with the Preface / ympnes / tractes / oryſons / as ſaynt Ambroſe made them / and that ordres ſholde be yeuen foure tymes in the yere. ¶Anaſtaſiꝰ was Emperour after zeno .xxvii. yere / & he was a curſed man & an heretyke / and hateful to god and man. And he was ſlayne with lyghtuynge • And in hys tyme deyed ſaynt Patryke the fyrſte byſſhop of· Irlonde / in the .C.xxii. yere of his aege. And his felowe was ye abbot of Columba and ſaynt Brygyda whom ſaynt Patryk made a Nonne And they were buryed in one tombe / and att dyuers tymes and thys ys the Epitaphi (Hii tres ī gelido: cumulo tumulantur in vno. Brigida patricius: at que columba pius) ¶Anaſtaſius a Romayne was pope after Gelaſyus two yere and thre monethes. The whyche ordeyned that no preſt for wrath ne hate ſholde leue of to ſaye his dyuyne ſeruyce in the chyrche / excepte the maſſe. ¶And he curſyd themperour Anaſtaſius for he was an heretyke / and yt ys wryten of hym / that afterwarde he torned for drede to the opynyon of the emperour. And he is called ye ſeconde euyll famed pope yt is in (Catholico pontificū) And afore hym was Liberius famed in hereſye.

SIinachus was pope after hym .xv. yere / and with hym was ordeyned an other pope that was called Laurencius / and betwext them was a grete dyſcencyon. And they bothe put them to the Iugemente of Theodoria the kynge and he Iuged that he that was fyrſte ordened and that mooſt men of the chyrche helde with ſholde be pope. And Symachꝰ preualid the whiche loned the chyrche and pore men and for Paſchalius the deaken Cardynal helde ayenſt Symachus with the parte of Laurence to his dethe Therfore he was put to the paynes of purgatori / to kepe the batthes after his dethe / as Gregory ſayth in his boke of Dyalogis. This man ordeyned that) Gloria in excelſis) ſholde be ſayd euery Sondaye and feeſtes of martyrs.

AGapitus a confeſſour was pope after Iohn̄ two yere / this Agapitus torned Iuſtimanus fro the errour fully of the heretykes. This man ordeyned that proceſſyōs ſholde be done the Sondayes and thenne he dyed arte Conſtantynoble. & Siluerius a martyr was pope after this man thre yere. He was exyled fro cryſten fayth / and ſlayne by the proctour of Theodory. For he wolde not reſtore ye byſſhop of Athenes an heretyke to his benefyte ayē. ¶Virgiliꝰ was pope after hym .xviii. yere. And he entred euyll to his benefyte / but he gouerned hym well. And he ſuffred his perſecucyon pacyently. ¶And he was exyled fro Rome. And at the laſte after grete paſſyōs of Theodory in Conſtantynople deyed. ¶Synodus quatra conſtantinopolitana cō tra theodorū & o •• s hereticos alios fuic iſto tē pore. Iſta ſynodꝰ dampnauit hereſim theodori • Qui dixit alium eſſe deū verū. & aliū criſtū. Et qd beata virgo non ſit dei genitrix. ſed hominis tantū ¶Pelagius was pope after Vigilius foure yere and .x. monethes: This man ordeyned that heretykes Sciſmatykes & Rennegates / ſholde be punyſſhed by the ſeculer power. ¶Iohannes the thyrde was pope after this man .xiii. yere. Of thys man lytell is wryten / but that he reſtored the chyrcheyerde of ye appoſtles Philyp and Iacob. ¶Iuſtinus the ſeconde after Iuſtinian was Emperour .xi. yere. This man dyſpyſed poore men He robbed ye Senatours. He was yeuen to all coueytouſneſſe / ſo that he made cheſtes of yron / for to kepe his moyneye in. Thenne anone he felle in hereſye / & wexed out of his mynde. ¶And thenne was choſe Tyberyus a good man for to gouerne the comyn people. ¶Tyberius ye ſeconde was Emperour afteſt Iuſtinus .vii. yere. Thys man was a vertuous man. He yaue Innumerable good to poore men In ſo moche many tymes yt hys wyf chydde wyth hym and ſayd that he caſt awaye the goodes of the Empyre as ſtones. And he anſwered ayen & ſayde. I truſte in god that our cheſtes ſhall neuer lacke of moneye / and we put treſour in to heuen. ¶And vpon a certayne daye whan he went by his palys at Conſtantynople / he ſaw in the mar • yll pament a croſſe grauen / And thought ye ſholde not be troden vppon & commaūded that ſtone to be left vp. For the croſſe ought to be put in the hertes of faythfull men and there he founde Ineſtymable treſoure of golde. This man ſubdued Herſes / and deyed blyſſydly. ¶Benedictus was pope after Iohanes foure yere: This man ſuffred grete perſecucyon of hungre peſtelence and enmyes. Thys man brought many a thouſande quarter whete from Egypte / whan Rome was beſyeged by kynge Albanack / and almooſt loſte for vytayll. wherfore they wrote on his graue this Epitaphi. ¶Magna tuis monimenta pater benedycte re iquis: virtutum tītulus et decus at que dolor ¶Pelagius was Emperour after Benedictus .v. yere. In his tyme Rome was beſyged by the Lombardes / and lytell he dyde in his dayes. ¶Mauricius was Emperour after Tyberyꝰ .xxi. yere. Thys man was a very cryſten man and ſubdued Perſas and Armenyas / and in the later ende of hys dayes he dyſcorded with ſaynt Gregory and entended to haue ſlayne hym. And then̄e appered a man in Rome clothed a in relygyous habyte / holdynge a naked ſwerde in hys honde / and cryed aboute the Cyte in this wyſe. The Emperour ſhall be deſtroyed. The whiche the emperour herde / and he corrected hym ſelf of hys treſpaas and prayed to god to withdrawe hys ſentence. To whom our lorde apperyd in hys ſlepe & ſayde. wyll thou that I ſpare the now or ī tyme to come. And he was a louer of wretches / and ſayde / yeue me here my rewarde. Then̄e was he Emperour after many a deye And whan he ſholde haue corrected hys knyȝtes for the extorcyon that they dyd / they aſked hym why yt he wolde not paye them theyr wages. And ſo they fell at varyaunce / and choſe Foka for to be Emperour and ſlewe him and his thre ſones. ¶This tyme ſaynt Auſtyn came in to Englonde and ordeyned two Archebyſſhops that is to ſaye of London / & of yorke by the commaundement of ſaynt Gregory. ¶And remembre that many tymes is made mēcyon of dyuers regyons & coūtrees / that of tyme they haue be torned to ye fayth For alway the fayth abode not in them for dyuers cauſes Soo it is of Englonde. Fraunce. Perſia. Iewery. And in this thynge Rome was pryueleged / for the fayth of Peter neuer fayled. ¶Focas was Emperoor after Maurici hys mayſter / whome he and other ſlewe. And by cauſe he began euyl he ended nought. For in his dayes the Romayns faught ſtrongely ayenſt the Perſees / and the Romayns were dyſcōfyted and loſte many a prouynce. And at the laſt he was ouercome & ſlayne of Heraclius. For as he dyde vnto other men / ſo he was done vnto.

GRegory the fyrſte a Romayne & amonke was pope after Pelagyus .xiii. yere. Thys man was called Gregoryꝰ magnus for many thyngꝭ yt he exceded in: He paſſed other men in power / in ryches / in vertue / in noblyneſſe / in wyſdome / in holyneſſe / in fame / & in experyence. & vnder this man the euyl thyngꝭ of curſydneſſe paſſyd were ſeſſed. & many a nobled boke he worte to the Incomparaple profyte of all holy chyrche / He was one of the pryncypall doctours of all the foure doctours of ye chirche / This man forſoth alone with ſaynt Fabyan after ſaynt Peter / was choſen of god in all the ordres of the popes of Rome / Many thynges he ordeyned in the chirche / as is ſhewed in hys regyſtre (Deus in adyutoryū) for to be afore the begynnygge of ye houres he cō maunded to be ſayd. He renewed & made all ye offycers of the churche in a fayre & a more compendyous manere / the whiche abydeth yet vnto this daye / & is called Gregorianū. & ſhortly for to conclude on this holy man / mānes tonge cannot expreſſe lyghtly ye louynges of this man what in wrytynges / & alſo in example of vertuous dedes. & Saninianus was pope after Gregory one yere & .v monethes This mā ordeyned tyngynge of belles at the houres of the daye / but this man bachyted ſaynt Gregory for hys lyberalyte that he had to poore men & thought he ſpe ſaynt Gregory rebuked hym thryes for it. And the four the tyme he laye in his bedde / and thought ſaynt Gregory ſmote hym on the heed / & he waked and deyed anoe This was the thyrde pope amonge the popes the whyche is noted to deye a dredefull dethe ¶B •• facyus the thyrde was pope after Saniniamꝰ .viii. monethes. He ordeyned yt none but whyte clothes ſholde be put vpon the awter· ¶Bonifacius the fourth was pope foure yere and ·viii. monethes / this man purchaſed of the Emperour Focas the chyrche of ſaynte Peter of Rome ſholde be the heed of al the chirche in the worlde. For afore Conſtantynople was the heed chirche. Alſo he gate lycēce yt the chyrche called Panton the whyche was dedy • ate to the honoure of Neptunꝰ and other fals goddes / where cryſten men many tymes were ſlayne of deuylles / myght be dedicate to ye worſhyp of all ſayntes in heuen. This man ordeyned that monkes myghte vſe the offyce of prethynge / cryſtenynge / and confeſſynge.

¶Heracliꝰ was Emperour after Focas .xiii. yere. And in the thyrde yere of his regne. Coſdras the kynge of Perſe brente Iheruſalem & other worſhypfull places. zachary the patryarke with other moche people he toke in captyuyte The parte of the hooly croſſe / the whiche Eleyne lefte there he toke with hym in to his countree. But the .xii. yere of Heraclius. Coſdras was ſlayne of Heraclyus and the croſſe was brought ayen / the people were delyuered. And whan Heraclius wold haue entred the cytee proudely / the yates of the cyte by power of god ſhytte therſelf / and the Emperour meked hym to god aboue & the yates opened. And thē ne was the feſte of the exaltacyon of the croſſe made. ¶Deus dedit was pope after Bonifacius thre yere / this was an hooly man. For on a certayne daye whan he kyſſed a lyppre / anone the leppre was hole. ¶This tyme a Cyteyzin of London thrugh ye mocyon of Ethelbryghte buylded a chyrche of ſaynte Peter in the weſt parte of London / in a place that was called Thorneye.

BOnyfacyus the fyfthe was pope after Deus dedit fyue yere. The whiche ordened that noman ſholde be taken out of the chiccheyarde. And lytell elles of hym is wryteu.

¶Machomite the duke of Sarraſyns and Turkes was this tyme. And he was ye dyſſeyuer of all the worlde / a faulſe profete / ye meſſenger of the deuyll. The forgooer of antecryſt ye fulfyller of herecye / & of all fals men the meruaylleſt· Of whome the dominacyon thus began· ¶There was a certayne famous clerke at Rome and / coude not ſpede in his maters yt deſyred to haue ſpede in. Thene he recedde frō Rome ouer the ſee and procured many a man to haue gone with hym. Amonge whome was this Machomyte a grete man of wytte. And this clerke promyſed hym to make hym duke of the coūtree yf he wolde be gyded after hym ¶There he nouryſſed a douue / and put alle the corne that ye douue ete in Machom • ee • e and ſo this douue had neuer noo meete but in his eere The foreſayd clerke on a daye called the people & meued thē to theſe ſuche a p •• nce as the holy goſt wold ſhewe to them in lykeneſſe of a douue. And anone this clerke ſecretely lete flee this douue / the whiche after his olde cuſtome that he wonte to / fell anone to ye ſholdyr of Machomyte & put his bylle in his eere. And the people ſawe this / anone he was choſē duke of that people of Coroſame / he ſayd that he was the very prophete of god ¶Thenne he made a boke of his lawe that was called Alkaron. But he dyde it by Informacyon of thre of his mayſters. To whome the deuyl minyſtred the autoryte and the connynge. ¶The fyrſte mayſter was a Iewe a grete Aſtronomyer & a Nygramancer. The ſeconde was Iohn̄ de Anthiochia. The thurde was Sergius an herytyke. And theſe thre made an vngracyous lawe and an vnhappy. ¶And what ſomeuer was harde of beleue and noyous to doo / they lefte that out of the lawe / and they put that thynge in the lawe / the whiche the worldly men were proue and redy to do. That ys to ſaye. Glotony / Lethery / repyne / and ſuche other. And alſo thys Machomyte ordeyned that a man ſholde haue as many wyues as he myght occupye and fynde / and refuſe them twyes or thryes / or foure tymes / and take them agayye / & many meruayllous & fals thinges ht made in hys lawe / the whiche were to longe to reherce here But they be playne in his booke of. Alkaron· And euer he wrote in hys boke / that our lorde ſpake to. Machomyte hys prophete / ſayenge on this wyſe / or on this. ¶Thus by hys falſe meanes he dyſceyued the people. And whan his mayſters & he had made this that was ſoo delectable. He wrote it in a boke with letters of golde· And alſo he nouryſſhed a myghty camell ſecretly in a pryue place / & alonly wyth ye hondes of. Machomyte was alwaye fedde / & there pryuely he tyed this boke of the law that he had made about the camels necke \ and put this camel forth on a tyme in to the felde afore daye. And thys camell Ioyed in hys lyberte for he was neuer loſe afore. And he wolde ſuffre noo man to come and touche hym. And ſo there was a grete fame of ſuche a camell / and the people ranne to ſee hym. Amonge whome was this Machomyte. But whan the camell ſawe hym that had fedde hym al waye. Anone he ranne vnto hym. And he had taught this camell afore tyme to falle downe on his knees & lycke his hondes. And ſo he dyd afore all that people. The people thenne cryed & ſayde / that there was a very enſample yt he was the true prophete of god. ¶Thenne they prayed Machomyte to open that holy boke with hys holy hondes / the whiche was ſent from heuen euer more to be kepte. In ye whiche boke is ſhewed how the peple ſhail worſhyp god. ¶And Machomyte ſayd / this boke was wryten wyth aū gels honde / Soo by theſe fals meanes / he torned to his lawe all the londe of. Perſe / and all the Eeſt Imperyall agaynſte. Heraclium the Emperour· And he occupyed vnto the ende of Ale • dndre and Egypt. Libya. Arabya and Siria. Thenne after he enfected alle Affrycam. And but the grace of god wythſtode hym / He had enfected all Spayne and Fraunce. And many other thynges he dyde whyche were to moche to wryte in this boke.

COnſtantyne the thyrde / the ſone of Heraclii was Empour .xxvii. yere. Thys Conſtantyne was a grete tyraunt & a curſyd man / and an heretyke. Fals / ſubtyll / and odyous to cryſten men. Ne he gaaf no place to pope. Mertyne / & he reyſed a grete hoſte agaynſt the Lombardes. And there he loſte the felde / & fledde vnto Rome. And honourably was receyued of the pope Viteliianus / & other of the the cyte. And he rewarded not them lyke after theyr merytes as a prynce ſholde haue done. But vſed forth tyrannye and hereſye. wherfore at the laſt he was ſlayne of his owne knyghtes in a bath / the whyche wolde no lenger ſuffre his tyraunye. And ſo he wretchedly lyued / and deyed vnhappely. ¶Martinus the fyrſt was pope after Theodorum .vi. yere. Thys Martynus was a very holy man / & • rongely ſtroue for the fayth of god And wh • n • e • ge maſſe oon a certayne daye a • the 〈◊〉 / there purſewed hym to ſlee▪ him a man yt was called Spataryus of Olymphe. And whan he wolde haue ſmyten hym / he was blynde ſodaynly. This ſame man called a Synody in the Cyte of Rome: and dampned Syrum. Alexandrun Sergium. Pyrum: and Paulum heretykes. wherfore. Conſtantyne the Emperour exyled hym: and he deyed a ſaynt. ¶Eugemꝰ a Romayne was pope after Martyne almooſt thre yere: and was an holy man: but of hym lytell actes is wryten. ¶Vitellianus was pope after hym .xiiii. yere. Thys man made the ſonge that the. Romayns vſe: And accorded it alſo with the orgayns. And he alſo had the grace of the emperour: the whiche was worth wyth his predeceſſours. Neuertheleſſe after warde he ſtode not ī his concorde. Ne hetherto I coude not fynde that euer the chyrche of Rome. hadde fully after the dethe of. Conſtantyne the myghty lordſhyp of the cyte and of other the whiche he yaue to the chyrche.

ADeodatus a. Romayne was pope after Vitellianus foure yere / and in his dayes was tranſlated the body of ſaynt Benedictus / with the body of ſaynt Scolaſtica his ſyſter fro the hylle of Caſſyn vnto ye monuſterye of Floriecens nyghe Aurelian. ¶Conſtā tyne the fourthe was Emperour after hys fader Conſtantyne the curſyd man. Thys Conſtantyne was a good mā and hated heretyk • ouer all thynge. The chirche he repeyred / and grace he recounſyled agayne to the chyrche • come & he with ye pope gadred togyder the .vi. generall Synodus in ye whiche was graūted to preſtes of Grece / for to vſe theyr leyfull wyues / & to the preeſtes of ye Eeſt for cauſe of grete he • e / but not to thoſe of the weſt party by no meanes For they 〈…〉 ytted chaſtyte in ye tyme of ſaynt Gregory. And euery man may auertyſe and prondre how moche the goodnes of a prynce is wrothe / to the quyete ſtate of ye chyrche / & to the promocyon of the fayth / and alſo the contrary / how moche the malyce of a prince hurteth that thynge. Theſe two Conſtanyns the fader and the ſone ſhewed openly. For in the faders dayes the chirche neuer had reſt and in ye ſones tyme it was quyete. yet neuertheles our lord ſuffred the Sarraſyns and the Bulgars to entre in thys londe / that he them myght not wyth ſtande / but that he made hys peas with them / & payed to them yerely a truage / ſo nyghtely preuaylled that curſyd ſecte of Machomyte / and after he deyed bleſſydly. ¶Nota. ¶That there were .vi. generall Synodus / & mooſt pryncypall of the whyche the auctoryte is equall to ye goſpell for ye truth of the goſpell is declared by them ayenſt the .vi. pryncypall hereſyes the whyche ſtrongely trowbled the chirche for the ſubtyltee of theſe heretykes to dyſceyue ſymple men. ¶Thys tyme deyed Saynt Cedde of Lytchefelde / the thyrde yere of his byſſhopryche. ¶Demus a Romayne was pope after Adeodatus thre yere. Of this man lytell is wryten. ¶Bonyfacyus was pope after hym / & lytell of hym is wryten / but that he lyued ly • e a preeſt. ¶Agatho was pope after hym / and he was a very holy man. For on a daye whan he kyſſed a lepre / the lepre anone was made hoole. ¶Iſte et de conſenſu princypys iuſſit celebrari ſextū ſinodum apud ꝯſtantinopolin .CC.lxxx. ep̄o rum . in qua aſſeret duas naturas et duas voluntates eſſe in xp̄o. ¶Leo the ſeconde was pope after Agatho thre yere / this Leo was an holy man & ſuffycyently taught in latyn & greke / this man ordeyned that the pax ſholde be yeuen after agnus dei / and dyed a bleſſyd man. ¶Benedictus the ſeconde pope after Leo almoſte thre yere. This man aboue all thyng was vertous and his name accorded with his dedys. And in his tyme was a grete peſtylence. ¶Iuſtinianus the ſeconde was Emperour this tyme / & he was a very good man / a prudent & a large / & he encreaced ye Empyre of Rome myghtely / But he charged the offyce of the chyrche ouer moche. Many lawes he made / and after was not good he intended to haue lette the dycrees of the .vi. Synodus / wherfore the .x. yere of hys. Empyre he was taken of Leo the prynce of patrici • and Tyberio / & they cutte of hys noſe & hys tonge & exyled hym to Cryſonā. There was then turbacyon in the chirche for ſtryue & heretykes. ¶And knowe all men whan varyaunce falleth betwixt grete lordes Thenne errours ben multeplyed / for there is no man corrected them / therfore that ys often tyme preued in the cyirche. Thenne after felle a varyaunce betwixt Leo and Tyberio. And Tybereo preuaylled / and he exyled Leo / & cutte of his noſe the thyrde yere of his regne / and regned for hym· Iuſtinianꝰ fledde to the Sarraſyns and the Bulgars / the whyche reſtored hym ayen to his Empre / and ſlewe Leo and Tyberio / ye whiche fauoured heretykes. Thenne this ſame Iuſtinianus reformed hymſelfe to the chyrche of god / and had grete repentaū ce But he venged hym to cruelly on his aduerſaryes / ſo that he wolde haue ſlayne the • r Innocent childern Therfore he was ſlayne wyth his ſone / of Phylyp whom he exyled.

IOhannes the fyfth was pope after Benedyctus too yere / he was a good man / but he deceſſyd aone. ¶zeno was pope after hym. And he was a very holy man / for he wolde not medle with ſeculer maters. And ī beaute he was an angell / quyete in vertues / & meke in ſoule and very demure in langage of hys relygyous lyf / this man was choſen at the laſt wyth one accorde of the chirche and laye men. But there was a grete diſtruccyon / for ye clergy entended to haue choſe Perys ye Archebyſſhop. And the hoſt of laye men wolde haue had Theodorum a preeſt. But at the laſte the holy gooſte tourned the wyll of all this people in to this holy man. ¶Sergius was pope .ix. yere. This man was vertuous & comendable ī hys lyf. And in his eleccyon a grete dyſcorde was / for one partye of the clergye choſe Theodorū / and an other partye Paſchalem. But as oure lorde wolde at the laſt they tourned all to thys man. Thys man tranſlated the body of ſaynt Leo. He alſo founde a grete parte of the holy croſſe by myracle. And he cryſtened Cad waldre the laſt kynge of Brytayne. He cōmaūded (Agnus dei) to be ſayd or ſonge thryes at maſſe. And deceſſyd bleſſydly. ¶Nota. ¶Saynt Beda the worſhypfull preeſte was thys tyme a grete man of fame in Englonde / the whyche was take the .vii. yere of hys aege to Benedycte the abbot Gyrwyen̄ monaſtery to be taught. And thenne after to Colfrido the abbot after the deth of benedict. And atte the .xix. yere of his aege he was made Deaken of ye byſſhop of yorke. And at .xxx. yere he was made preeſt / in the whiche yere he began to wryte So he contynued al the tyme of his lyf in that monaſtry / in gyuynge his labours to wrytynge and ſcrypture to be expowned. He made .lxxviii· bokes / the whiche he nombreth in the ende of his Edglyſſhe booke. Thys man was euer in labour other in prayer or in ſyngynge dayly in the chyrche / or to lerne teche or wryte. For whiche thynge men maye Iuge by reaſon that he was neuer at Rome / all though ſome ſaye he wente to Rome that he myght ſee yt his bokes accordeth with the doctryne of ye holy chyrche. But it was certayne that he was blynde / and wente to preche / & had a ſeruaunte that was not good / and made him to preche to a myghty multytude of ſtones and ſayde / that they were men. ¶And whan all hys ſermon was done / the ſtones anſwered and ſayd Amē. But that he wente to Rome thryes / and founde wryten thre arres / thre effes / and expowned them / it was neuer founde in no boke of auctoryte. There was after the talkyng of the people ſuche a wrytynge on the yates of Rome (RRR. FFF) And ſuche an expoſycyon (Regna Rome Ruent. Ferro Flama Fame) But it is certayne that Beda was deſyred to come to Rome by the wrytynge of ſergius the pope to Colfrido his abbot. And thys Beda tranſlated the goſpell of ſaynt Iohan in to Englyſſhe tonge / and dyſſeſſyd bleſſydly. The fame ſayth that now he lyeth at Deuelyn with Saynt Curberte / & there is buryed with hym the knowlege of the dedes of Englonde almooſt to ye conqueſt. ¶Leo the ſeconde was Emperour / and lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Liberiꝰ was Emperour after hym .vii. yere / he roſe ayenſt Leo & entred his kyngdom / and kept hym in pryſon as longe as he regned In this tyme Iuſtinianus the ſeconde whiche in olde tyme was exyled to Cryſonam openly ſayd / he wolde recouer his Empyre agayne. wherfore the people of that countree / for the loue of Liberius / were aboute to ſlee that Iuſtinianus. wherfore he fledde to the prynce of Thurcorum and wedded hys ſyſter. And thorugh helpe of his brother and the Bulgars he recouered his Empyre and ſlewe Liberius & Leo the vſuper of his reame And as many tymes almooſt as he wyped ony drope from his noſe / the whiche they kytte of / ſo many tymes he made one of his enmyes to be ſlayne ¶Leo the thyrde was pope after Sergius two yere. This mā was made pope by the power of the Romayns and was not put in the nombre of popes / for the euyll entred / but he dyde none euyll. ¶Iohannes the .vi. was pope after hym a Greke. And he was a martyr / but of whome and wherfore the cauſe is not founde in hyſtoryes. It is ſayd / yt it was of the dukes of Lambardy for they were enmyes to the chyrche myghtely. ¶Iohannes the .vii. a Romayne was pope after hym thre yere / but no thyng of hym is wryten. ¶Iuſtinianas was Emperour ayen with his ſone Tyberiꝰ .vi. yeres. And this was he the whyche was reued the Empyre afore by Leo / And whan this mā was reſtored ayen he toke hym to the ryght fayth / and worſhypped the pope Conſtantyne. And certaynly he deſtroyed Creſon the place where he was exyled unto / and all that dwelled in it / except the chyldern he ſlewe them / And he came ayen an other tyme to haue ſlayne the Innocentes. And the men of that countree made them a capytayne / a certayne man that was called Philyp an outlawe / yt whiche anone went to hym in batayll / and ſlewe hym for his outragyous cruelneſſe ayenſt thoſe chyldern. ¶Syſinnius was pope twenty dayes / and thenne was grete ſtryfe / and he deceſſyd \ but lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Cōſtantine was pope after hym vii. yere. This man was a very meke man & ſo bleſſyd / that of all men he was beloued. He wente ouer the ſee to Iuſtinianus the Emperour / and was receyued with grete honour / & deyed a bleſſyd man. ¶Philyp ye ſeconde was Emperour one yere / the whyche fledde in to Scicilis for the hoſte of the Romayns And he was an heretyke / and cōmaunded all pyctures of ſayntes for to be beſtroyed. wherfore the Romayns caſt a way his coyne / ne wolde not receyue noo moneye that hys name or ymage were wryten vpon ¶Anaſtaſius thſeconde after he had ſlayne Philyp was Emperoure thre yere. This man was a cryſten man / and helyued well. But by cauſe he put out phylipis eyen / and ſlewe hym after warde. And therfore Theodoſius fauſtht ayenſt hym and ouercame hym / And thenne he was made a preeſt / & lyued ſoo quyetly.

GRegoryus the ſeconde was pope after Conſtantyne .xvii. yere / this Gregoryꝰ was a chaſte man & a noble man in ſcrypture And about this tyme the popes began to deale more temporally wyth the Emperours than they were wonte for theyr falſneſſe & theyr he reſye. And alſo for to remeue thempyre fro oo people to an other as the tyme requyred / thys man curſyd Leo ye Emprrour by cauſe he brē te the ymages of ſayntes. This ſame Leo cō maunded / Gregorius the pope yt he ſhold brenne chirches & deſtroye them. And he ſette noo thynge of hys ſayenge / but cōmaūded the coū trary manly. And ſo it ys openly ſhewed / yt the deſtruccyon of the Empyre of Rome / was the cauſe of hereſy. For certaynely faythfull people wyth the prelates wyth one wyll / drewe to the pope & conſtrayned the Emperours for to leue theyr tyrannye and theyr hereſye. ¶And thys tyme in the eeſt parte of ye worlde ſtrongly faylled the very fayth / for that curſyd lawe of the fals Machomete· ¶Theodoſius was Emperour & regned but one yere And he was a very cryſten man / & euen as he dyde ſo was he done vnto. For Leo depoſyd hym & made hym a preeſt. ¶Leo ye thyrde with Conſtantyne his ſone was Emperour .xxv. yere this Leo whan he was myghty he depoſyd Theodoſyꝰ & regned for hym / & was deſceyned by a certayne Apoſtata / the whiche badde hym yt he ſholde take and brenne all the ymages of ſayntes. wherfore he was punyſſhed both in batayll & in peſtylence / & with other Infortunes. And by cauſe he was accurſyd of Gregoryus / & bode ther in thre dayes / therfore the pope wyth ye comyn peple toke for hym the beſt parte of hys Empyre / cōmaūdynge yt no man ſhold obeye hym ne ſocour hym / by cauſe he lyued lyke an heretyke. ¶Holy men ſayde ayenſt hym. And many by hym were marted & exyled. And at ye laſt in his miſbyleue he deyed wretchedly. and in this manes dayes / but that Karolus Marcellus holpe the Cryſten fayth / & faught manly nyenſt the Sarraſyns / & draue them backewarde in Spayne the whyche they had ſubdued els they had entred in to Fraunce. And Karolus ſlewe thre hondred thouſāde Saraſyns & moo· And of his people were ſlayne but .xv. thouſande. ¶Nota. ¶This man for the contynuall batayll toke to laye men the treſoure of the chirche. wherfore Saynt Eucharius the byſſhop of Aurelian / as he was in his prayers / ſawe that ſame Karolus in ſoule and body payned in helle. And the aungell that ſhewed the byſſhop this man ſayde. That yt was the Iugement of all thoſe that toke a waye the goodes of the chirche / or of poore men. And to fortifye that / that the byſſhop ſayd and • ue it / the abbote of ſaynt Deuys wente to the ſepulcre there that Karolus was burye • 〈◊〉 opened the cheſte that he laye in And there th •• ſee a grete dragon go out but he had no 〈◊〉 ¶Gregorius the thyrde a Romayne 〈◊〉 pope after Gregoryus the ſeconde. The 〈…〉 confermed the woorſhyppes of the 〈…〉 ſayntes / with ye coūſeyll almooſte of a thou ••• de byſſhops. And he curſyd horrybly all the deſpyers of theſe ymages. As the Emperour • nd other that were of ye condycyon. ¶Conſtan • nus the fyfth was Emperour a • te: his 〈◊〉 Leo .xxxv. yere He was a curſed man & a p •• e heretyke / to yt he dyde ſacrefyſe to the deuylles He purſued the chyrche. And 〈…〉 is good of hym is wryten. And ſo by ye • ce of god the chyrche was trowbled longe t • me. About this tyme were many maruayl • es & there were merueyllous erth quakys. And certayne cytees that were ſette on mountayns they were remeued & borne awaye with ye hylles in to the feldes .vi. myle thens as they ſtode and the cytees were not broken ne hurte In the londe of Meſopotanian the erthe was broken by the ſpace of two myle / And alſo there was a mule that ſpake in a mannes voys. Aſſhes fell fro heuen And in the ſee of Poncico there was yſe for grete froſte that was .xxx. cubytes of thykeneſſe. And the ſterres fell fro heuen ſoo myghtely that men trowed that ye ende of the worlde had be comen. All theſe betokened meruaylus thynges for to come.

Acharias was pope after Gregorius. x. yere. This zacharis was a noble mā & arayed wyth all vertue / wyth all men he was loued for his mekeneſte. And he depoſyd the kynge of Fraunce Hydery / and put in hys place Puppynus / for he was more profytable. ¶Here may ye ſee what power the thyrche had yt tyme / the whiche tranſlated that famous kyngdom fro ye very heyres / to ye kyngdome of Pippinus / for a leyfull cauſe (Vthab • t .xv. q. v. alius) ¶Stephanus the ſeconde a Romayne was pope after zacharyas .v. yere. Thys man in all thyng was profytable vnto the chirche / as wel in worde as in doctryne And he gouerned the ſpyrytualtee & the temporaltee noble. He was the louer & the defender of poore men. Thys man anoynted Pyppynꝰ the kynge of Fraunce / & ſente hym ayenſt the Lombardes / that he ſholde compell them to reſtore the chirche of ſuche goodes as they had with holde from theym longe tyme vnryghtwyſ • y the whyche he dyde. He alſo tranſlated the Empyre of the Grekes to ye Frenſſhemen. ¶Paalꝰ a Romayne was pope after hym .x. yere. Thys was a very holy man / for he dyde grete almeſſe to fadleſſe chyldern & pryſoners wydowes / & other poore men / yt he myght be a folower of ſaynt Poule ¶Conſtantyne a Romayne the ſeconde was pope after Poul two yere. Thys Conſtantyne was a lay man & ſodeynly was made a preeſt / as a tyraunt / & toke on hym the dygnytee of the pope. And with a grete ſlaūdre to the chyrche was pope a lytell tyme. But the faythful men put hym out / and put out his eyen. And this was the fyfth Infamed pope / amonge ſo many herde tofore. So the holy ghoſt ye holy apoſtels ſete kepyin al honour & holyneſſe ¶Infynyte martyrs were made this tyme by Conſtantyne ye emperour for he was ſuche an heretyke. And men trowe that there was neuer Emperour ne no pagon that ſlewe ſo many martyrs· And in his tyme the chirche was trowbled full ſore / & very precyouſly bought the worſhyppynge of the ymages of the holy ſayntes / for the grete ſhedynge of blood of martyrs. And certaynly ye curſyd Emperour was not vnpunyſſhed. For whan that he deyed he cryed with an horryble voys & ſayd. I am taken to a fyre / yt is vnable for to be deſtroyed. And ſo he yelded vp the ghoſt to euerlaſtynge payne. ¶The Empyre of rome was deuyded about this tyme For Stephanꝰ the pope tranſlated ytaly & other vnto Karolus a yonge man. And Conſtantyne helde the londe of Grece with other londes ouer the ſee with a grete labour and many rebellynge. ¶This tyme Karolus magnus was a noble yonge man. And he began for to regne vpon Fraunce / & was the ſone of Pippinus / & hys moder was called Berta· ¶Stephanus the thyrde was pope after Paulus thre yere. And he amended all the errours of Conſtantyne. And he degarded all thoſe the whiche Cōſtantyne ordeyned in a generall Synodus.

ADrianus a Romayne was pope after Stephanus .xxiiii. yere. Thys man was myghtely worſhypped of the people / noo man greter afore hym in honour / ryches / and buyldyng. This man ſette two ſolempne Syno • is. The fyrſte of the thre hondred and fyfty faders The ſeconde in Rome with an hondred and fyfty faders beynge preſent Charles the kynge of Fraunce / to whom it was graunted the lyberte of eleccyon of the popes and to ordeyne the appoſtles ſete. ¶Leo the fourthe regned Emperour with the Grekes fyue yere This Leo was a curſyd man / but not ſo moche as his fader was. And he was a couetous man / and he toke a way a certayne crowne of a chyrche and put it vpon his heed. And anon • he was corrupted with an axes and ſore deſeaſed. And he had a curſed wyf / yt whiche regned after hym with her ſone. ¶Conſtantyne was Emperoure after Leo / & he was a meke man / and put a waye his moder fro the kyngdom / that ſhe myght take hede vnto her wymmens werke. But ſhe with a fayned rancour put out his eyen after warde and his childern alſo / and regned agayne thre yere. And at ye laſt ſhe was about for to haue be wedded And whan the Grekes perceyued that ſhe wold be wedded to grete Karolus / they toke her & ſhytte her vp in a monaſtery / and toke Nychofe rum to be theyr Emperour. ¶The .v. vnyuerſhall ſtudy the whiche in olde tyme was tranſlated from Anthenes vnto Rome / aboute this tyme was tranſlated to Parys / by Karolus kynge of Fraunce. ¶Nychoferus was Emperour after Conſtantyne. He was a very nygon / and was exalted to his Empyre by the Grekys But he profyted not / for ī his tyme all ye E • ſt Imperyall was brought to noughte. For the Romayns put them vnder Karolus magnus ¶Ieruſalem about this tyme was recouered by Karolus / with all the hooly londe. And the ſecte of the Sarraſyns was deſtroyed ſtrongly· For the ſtruccyon of wretches came then̄e ¶Michael was Emperour two yere / and he was a very cryſten man / and he was well beloued / and alſo he was connyge in alle ſcyences. And tho that Nychaferus had hurte and dreſtreſſyd of theyr goodes by hys coueytouſneſſe / this Mychaell reſtored them and made them ryche ayen. ¶Nota. ¶Karolus. magnus the fyrſt ſaynt was Emperour after Michaell. And he was crowned Emperoure by Leo the pope / frome the whyche tyme the Empyre was tranſlated frome the Grekes to Fraunce and Germane. And for the tranſlacyon of that Empyre / the Grekes alwaye were defectyue vnto the Romayns And the Grekes ſtroue euer more with them. But it was more wyth venomous wordes thanne wyth ſtrenghthe / and more with crafte thanne with batayyll. ¶For they hadde ſoo grete enuye at the Romayns / that they wolde not obeye ye chyrche of Rome. For certaynly whan that the popes wold wryte vnto them / for to obeye the chyrche of Rome / they wrote agayne & ſayde. ye haue taken from oure kynrede the Empyre / and therfore we wolde not obeye / And we vs take from you / And for this noble Emperour Rarolus it is to be vnderſtande / thys man whan he was a yonge man / he was anoynted kynge of Fraunce by Stephanus ye pope. In the yere of our lorde Iheſu Cryſte .vii. hondred .liiii. whan his fader Pippinꝰ lyued. Vnder whome / and wyth whome he regned ·xv. yere vnto the dethe of his fader. ¶Thenne after hys fader vnder the yere our lord god vii. hondred .xlviii. This Karolus with hys brother Karolomannus regned two yere. And thenne his brother deſeaſed in the ſeconde yere. And this Karolus there helde alle the hoole kyngdome .xiiii. yere / to the yere of our lorde .vii. hondred .lxxxiiii. In ye whiche yere he wente to Rome / that he myght be crowned Emperour of the pope Adrianus. And he regned emperour .xvi. yere / to the yere of our lorde .viii.C. whan pope▪ Leo confermed hym ayen the Emperour. And after that he was Emperour xiiii. yere. And he dyſſeaſed in the yere of hys aege .lxxii. The whiche was the yere of oure lorde .viii.C. and .xiiii. ¶yf ye wyll ſee more of Karolus / goo to the boke of Turpinus and Libraminus his mayſter / for they wrote hys noble actes. ¶Leo the fourth was pope after Adrianus .xx. yere / thys man whan he wente on a certayne daye with the Lentany to ſaynt Peters chyrche on Saynt Markes daye / he was taken with curſyd people / and bothe hys eyen put out & his tonge cutte of But our lorde merueylouſly reſtored hym ayen hys ſyght and his ſpeche / ſoo that he ſpake without tonge and ſawe by myracle. Afterwarde he wente with Karolꝰ in Fraunce. And he came with hym vnto Rome / and venged the pope on his enmye. And thenne he crowned Karolus. And he late afore crowned / confermed hym agayne. ¶Lodouicus the meke the fyrſte begoten ſone of Karolus was Emperour after his fader .xxvi. yere / in whoſe tyme was put a waye that clerkes ſholde vſe no gyrdes wyth precyous ſtones / ne ſtraunge arayment. This Ludouicus of his fyrſte wyf gate two childern & both had an euyll ende. In all thynge that wē te ayenſt hym he was pacyent / & in the laſt ende he euer ouer cāe. For ayenſt god he abode deuoute. And his childern folowed hym in cō dycyons / he dyſſeſſyd a bleſſyd man. ¶Stephanus the fourth was pope after Leo thre yere. This Stephanus redemed many captyue men / & crowned Lodouicꝰ ye Emperour. And then̄e he dyſſeſſyd & was buryed at Rome. Paſchall was pope after Stephanus. This Paſchall was a grete dylygence to relyques of Sayntes. And he tooke vp Innumerable bodyes of ſayntes / & buryed them worſhypfully as in the vyſyon of ſaynt Cecile he was cōmaūded. ¶Eugenius the fourthe was pope after Paſchall / and he was a very hooly man. And alle thoſe thynges that were for cryſt he toke hede to. This man was crowned a martyr / and by the laye men of Rome he was buryed in ſaynt Peters chyrcheyerde.

VAlentinus was pope after Eugenius xl. dayes / and lytell of hym is wryten. ¶Gregorius the fourth was pope after hym xii. yere / this Gregorius ſawe many heuy tymes / for the plages amonge the comyn people And at this mannes petycyon. Lodouicus the Emperour / & Marcio the prynce of Lombardy exyled al ye Sarraſyns fro ytaly. And at the laſte he dyſſeſſed after Innumerable good dedes & werkes yt he had done at ſaynt Peters. ¶Lotherius the firſt ſone of Ludouicus was Emperour .xv. yere in ytaly & Rome & the partyes of Germayne next to the hylles of. Alpy. This Lotherius roſe ayenſt his broder Ludouicus &. Karolus for the kyngdom of Duchelonde / the whyche ſome tyme Pyppynus theyr broder helde. And they fought at a place called Fomanecū / where Lotherius was dyſcomfyted. And there was ſuche ſlaughter made oon both the ſydes / that they had no men for to reſyſte theyr aduerſaryes. Thys vnderſtode a fals cryſten man / & ſent vnto Soudan of the Sarraſyns yt he ſholde come anone. And he toke Rome / & ſaynt Peters chirche was made a ſtable for theyr horſes. But Ludouycus wyth the Frenſhemen & Lombardes all ye Infynyte nombred deſtroyed / & that with grete ſhedynge of criſten blode. ¶Sergius ye ſeconde was pope after Gregoriꝰ two yere. This man was called fyrſte. (os porci) in Englyſſhe / hoggeſmouth. where fore yt mā & all the popes names are chaunged whan they are choſen And yt for thre cauſes. The fyrſt for Cryſte chaunged the names of thoſe men yt whiche he made popes. The ſeconde / for as moche as they are chaunged in the name / ſholde they be chaūged in perfectyon of lyfe / The thyrde leeſt he whiche is choſen to an excedynge degree ſholde he hurte in name. ¶Leo was pope after Sergius. viii yere. This Leo was an holy man / and alſo he was in prudence as ſharpe as a ſerpente / & in his dedes as meke as a douue. ¶And he was brought forth vertuouſly in a monaſtery And whan that he was made pope / he laboured to repeyre his chirches agayne / the whiche falſe Sarraſyns one after an other had deſtroyed. This man was a myghty wryter & a grete precher / & myghtely laboured in watche & prayer and ſo deyed / & was buryed and lyeth at ſaynt Peters. ¶Benedictus a Romayne was pope after Leo two yere. This Benedictus had the name of ye thynge. For in all thyng he was bleſſyd. This man ordeyned ye clerkes ſhold go ordynatly and honeſty. ¶Ludouicus the ſone of Lotherius was Emperour thys tyme / & anoynted of Sergius the pope / & a whyle regned with his fader / & after regned .xxi. yere alone. This man had a ſone ye hyghe Karolus / in to whom the deuyll entred & vexed him a fore his fader. And then̄e he conſpyred his faders deth And in his tyme many a meruaylle felle. ¶Nota. ¶Iohannes Anglicus of the nacyon of Maguncin about thys tyme was pope / & ſhe was a woman arayed in mānes garmentes. But ſhe profyted ſo in holy ſcrypture that there was foūde none lyke her Then̄e ſhe was choſē pope / but after ward ſhe was with childe. And whan ſhe ſhold haue gone openly in proceſſyon / ſhe trauelled and deceſſyd. And this is the ſixte pope / the whyche to this tyme had the name of holyneſſe / and were vycyous And this perſone as other popes were was punyſſed of god / ne ſhe was not nombred in the boke of popes. ¶Nicholaus a Romayne was pope after this woman .ix. yere. This Nicholaus was of grete holynes / that there was no man comparable to hym after • Gregory ye pope. And whan he was made. Ludouicus the Emperour was preſente. And after he deceſſyd a very good man & was buryed in ſaynte· Peters chyrcheyerde. ¶Adrianus a Romay • was pope after Nicholaus. This Adrianus curſed Lotherius broder to themperour ye kynge of Lotharynge for his aduoutry. But whā he came to Rome to excuſe hym of his aduoutry / he ſayde that he was curſyd wrongfully. And he brought with hym al the noble men of his regyon / and all were deed within one yere and the kynge deyed in the waye whan he came to the • yte of Placenciam.