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them, and enforce them as servants, violently to abstain. Unto the which imperious commandment of theirs, or counsel, (whether you will call it), they add also this foolish and wicked suggestion, saying, That it is better to sin privately than openly in the sight of men to be bound to one wife.' Which truly they would not say, if they were either of him, or in him, who saith, Woe to you, pharisees, which do all things to be seen of men.' And so the psalmist, Because they please men, they are confounded, for the Lord hath despised them,' Ps. liii. 5. These be the men who ought to teach us that we should rather be ashamed to sin privily in the sight of Him to whom all things be open, than seem in the sight of men to be holy. These men, therefore, although through their sinful wickedness, they deserve no counsel of godliness to be given them; yet we, not forgetting our humanity, cease not to give them counsel by the authority of God's word, which seeketh all men's salvation, desiring them by the bowels of charity, and saying with the words of scripture, Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote of thy brother's eye.

"Moreover, we desire them to attend, to what the Lord saith of the woman taken in adultery. He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.' As though he would say, If Moses bid you, I also bid you. But yet I require you that be the competent ministers and executors of the law, take heed what you add thereunto: take heed also (I pray you) what you are yourselves; for if (as the scripture saith) thou shalt well consider thyself, thou wilt never defame another.'

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'Moreover, it is signified unto us also, that there be some of them, who (when they ought like unto good shepherds to give their lives for the Lord's flock) yet are they puffed up with such pride, that without all reason they presume to rend and tear the Lord's flock with whippings and beatings, whose unreasonable doings St. Gregory bewailing, thus saith, 'What shall become of the sheep when the pastors themselves be wolves?' But who is overcome, but he which exerciseth cruelty? Or who shall judge the persecutor, but he which gave patiently his back to stripes? And this is the fruit which cometh to the church by such persecutors, also which cometh to the clergy by such despiteful handling of their bishops, or rather infidels. For why may you not call them infidels, of whom St. Paul thus speaketh, and writeth to Timothy? That, in the latter days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences seared with an hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, &c., 1 Tim. iv. 1. These be they which bring into the church God this heresy (as blind guides leading the blind) that it might be fulfilled which the Psalm speaketh of, as foreseeing the errors of such men, and accursing them after this manner, 'Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always,' Rom. xi. 10. For so much then (O apostolical Sir) as no man which knoweth you, is ignorant, that if you through the light of your discretion had understood and seen what poisoned pestilence might have come into the church through the sentence of this your decree, you would never have consented to the suggestions of certain wicked persons. Wherefore we counsel you by the fidelity of our due subjection, that with all diligence you would put away so great slander from the church of God: and through your discreet discipline, you will remove this pharisaical doctrine from the flock of God do not separate the holy people, and the kingly priesthood from her spouse which is Christ, through an unrecoverable divorcement: seeing that no man without holiness shall see our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth for ever. Amen."

By this epistle of bishop Hulderick, it is easy to conceive what was then the opinion of learned men concerning the marriage of ministers.

After this Pope Nicholas succeeded Adrian II., John VIII., Martin II. After these came Adrian III., and Stephan VI. By this Adrian it was first decreed, That no emperor after that time should intermeddle or have

any thing to do in the election of the pope. And thus the emperors began first to decay, and the papacy to swell and rise.

Now to return where we left King Ethelwolf. About the latter end of his reign, the Danes who before had invaded the realm, in the time of King Egbert, made their re-entry again, with three and thirty ships arriving about Hampshire.

Concerning the occasion given by the Englishmen which moved the Danes first to invade the realm, I find in certain histories two causes most specially assigned. The first was given by the means of Osbright, reigning underking of the West Saxons. This Osbright had treated with violence the wife of one of his nobles, called Bruer, whereupon Bruer consulting with his friends, first went to the king resigning into his hands all the service and possessions which he held of him : he then took shipping and sailed into Denmark. There making his complaint to Codrinus the king, he desired his aid in revenging the villany of Osbright against him and his wife. Codrinus hearing this, and glad to have some just quarrel to enter that land, levied an army with all speed, and preparing all things necessary for the same, sends an innumerable multitude of Danes into England; who first arriving at Holderness, they burnt up the country, and killed without mercy, both men, women, and children, whom they could lay hands upon. Then marching towards York, entered into battle with Osbright, where he with most part of his army was slain. And so the Danes took possession of the city of York. The second cause assigned by some historians, for the invasion of the Danes is as follows:

A certain Danish nobleman, called Lothbroke, entering with his hawk into a skiff or small boat alone, was driven by a tempest with his hawk to the coast of Norfolk, where being found and detained, he was presented to the king. The king understanding his parentage, and seeing his case, entertained him in his court accordingly, and every day perceiving more and more his great dexterity in hunting and hawking, bare special favour to him. Insomuch that the king's falconer, or master of his game, bearing privy envy against him, as they were hunting together in a wood murdered him, and threw him into a bush. This Lothbroke, being murdered, in two or three days began to be missed in the king's house: of whom no tidings could be heard; but a spaniel dog of his, which continuing in the wood with the corpse of his master, at various times came and fawned upon the king: and that so long that at length they followed the trace of the hound, and were brought to the place where Lothbroke lay. Whereupon inquisition being made, at length by certain evidence, it was known how he was murdered by the king's huntsman. Who being convicted, was put into the same boat, alone and without any tackling, to drive by sea, either to be saved by the weather or to be drowned in the deep. And as it chanced that Lothbroke was driven from Denmark to Norfolk, so it happened that from Norfolk the murderer was carried into Denmark, where the boat of Lothbroke being well known, hands were laid upon him, and inquisition made of the party. In his torments, to save himself, he uttered an untruth of King Edmund, saying, "That the king had put Lothbroke to death in the county of Norfolk." Whereupon the Danes being very angry, appointed an army, and sent great multitudes into England to revenge that fact.

In the mean time, King Ethelwolf, when he had chased the Danes, from place to place, causing them to take to the sea, departed himself both from land and life: leaving behind him four sons, who reigned every one in his order, after the decease of his father.

King Ethelbald the eldest son of Ethelwolf, succeeding his father in the province of West Saxony, and Ethelbright in the province of Kent, reigned both together the term of five years, one with the other. After these two succeeded Ethelred, the third son, who in his time was so incumbered with the Danes, bursting in on every side, especially about York, that in one year he stood in nine battles against them.

About the latter time of the reign of this Ethelred, which was about (A. D. 870), certain of the Danes being possessed of the northern country, took shipping

from thence, and landed in Norfolk, and came to Thetford. Edmund, then under-king of that province, assembled an host and gave them battle.

The king put to the worse, fled to the castle of Framingham, where being on every side compassed by his enemies, he yielded himself to their persecution. And when he would not deny Christ, they most cruelly bound him to a tree, and caused him to be shot to death; and lastly, caused his head to be smitten from his body, and cast into the thick bushes.

their bondage. Afterwards joining with the three other kings of the Danes, they grew in mighty force and strength, till the fourth year of King Alfred. In which year Alfred's men had a conflict on the sea with six of the Danes' ships, of which they took one, and the others fled away. The army of the three Danish kings returned again to West Saxony, and entered the castle of Wareham; where Alfred with a sufficient force was ready to assault them. But the Danes seeing his strength, durst not attempt it with him. In the meantime they were constrained to treat for truce; leaving sufficient pledges in the king's hand, and promising moreover upon their oath to leave the country of the West Saxons. The king upon the surety let them go. But they falsely breaking their

After this the Danes yet re-assembled their people, and gathered a new host; so that within fifteen days they met at Basingstoke, and there gave battle to the king, and had the better. Then the king again gathered his men at the town of Merton, and he gave them a sharp battle, but the Danes had the honour of the field, and king Ethelred was there wounded.

After these two battles thus won by the Danes, they spread over a great circuit of ground, and destroyed man and child that would not yield to them. The churches and temples they turned to the use of stables, and other vile occupations.

Thus the king being beset with enemies on every side, seeing the land so miserably oppressed by the Danes, his knights and soldiers consumed, his own land of the West Saxons in such desolation, he being also wounded himself, rather wished to die honestly than to reign in such trouble and sorrow. And not long after deceased being succeeded by his brother

KING ALURED, OTHERWISE CALLED ALfred. Among the Saxon kings I find none to be compared to Alfred, for great and singular qualities, worthy of high renown and commendation; whether we behold in him the valiant acts and manifold trials which he sustained against his enemies in wars, during almost all his reign, for the public preservation of his people; or whether we consider in him his godly and excellent virtues, joined with a public and tender care, and a zealous study for the common peace and tranquillity of the public weal; appearing as well in his prudent laws as also by the virtuous institution of his life, or whether we respect his notable knowledge of good letters, with a fervent love and princely desire to set forth the same through all his realm, before his time both rude and barbarous. All which heroic properties, joined together in one prince, as it is a rare thing, and seldom seen in princes nowa-days; so I thought the same more to be noted and exemplified in this good king. Wherefore, to discourse in order of these things, we will first treat of his acts and painful trials sustained in defence of the public realm, against the raging tyranny of the Danes.

King Alfred, the first of all the English kings, taking his crown and unction at Rome of Pope Leo, in the beginning of his reign, perceived his lords and people much wasted and decayed, by reason of the great wars of Ethelred against the Danes, yet as well as he could, he gathered his people, and in the second month that he was made king he met with the Danes beside Wilton, where he gave them battle. But being far over-matched through the multitude of the enemy, he was put there to the worse; although not without a great slaughter of the Pagan army. The next year the Danes left those parts, and drew to Lindsey, robbing and spoiling the towns and villages as they went, and holding the common people under

toward Exeter. In which voyage they lost six score of their small ships by a tempest. Then king Alfred followed after the horsemen of the Danes, but could not overtake them before they came to Exeter, where he took of them pledges and fair promises of peace, and so returned. Notwithstanding the number of the Pagans daily increased, in so much that if in one day thirty thousand of them were slain, shortly after they increased double as many again.

The next year, the Danes having all the rule of the north part of England, from the river Thames, disdained that Alfred should bear any dominion on the other side of the Thames southward. Whereupon the three kings, with all the forces and strength they could make, marched with such a multitude, that the king with his people was not able to resist them; and of the people which inhabited there, some fled over the sea, some remained with the king, and many submitted themselves to the Danes. Thus Alfred being overset with a multitude of enemies, and forsaken by his people, having neither land to hold, nor hope to recover that which he had lost, withdrew himself with a few of his nobles, into a certain wood country in Somersetshire called Etheling, where he had little to live on but such as he and his people might procure by hunting and fishing. This Etheling stands in a great marsh or moor, so that there is no access unto it without ship or boat, and has in it a great wood called Selwood, and in the middle a little plain about two acres of ground, in which isle is venison, and other wild beasts, with fowls and fishes. In this wood king Alfred at his first coming spied a certain cottage of a poor swineherd, keeping swine in the wood, by whom the king then unknown was entertained and cherished with such poor fare as he and his wife could make him. For which king Alfred afterwards set the poor swineherd to learning, and made him bishop of Winchester.

Notwithstanding the king in process of time was strengthened and comforted, through the providence of God, respecting the miserable ruin of the English. First, the brother of King Halden the Dane coming in with three and thirty ships, landed about Devonshire; where by chance being resisted by a bushment of King Alfred's men (who for their safeguard their lay in garrison) were slain to the number of 1300 men, and their ensign called the Raven was taken. Both Inguar and Hubba were slain among the other Danes. After this King Alfred being better cheered shewed himself more at large, so that the men of Wiltshire, Somersetshire, and Hampshire daily resorted to him, till he was strongly accompanied.

Then the king undertook a bold and dangerous adventure; for, apparelling himself in the habit of a minstrel, (as he was very skilful in all Saxon poems), with his instrument of music he entered into the camp of the Danes, lying then at Eddendun; and while playing his interludes and songs, he espied all their sloth and idleness, and heard much of their counsel. Shortly after he fell upon the Danes suddenly in the night and slew a great multitude of them, and chased them from that coast, insomuch that through his strong and valiant assaults he clearly voided the country of them between that and Selwood. His subjects soon hearing of his valiant victories and manful deeds, drew to him daily out of all coasts. Who through the help of God held the Danes so short, that he won from them Winchester and other towns.

At length he forced them to seek for peace, which was concluded upon certain covenants, whereof one and the principal was, that Gutrum their king should be christened. The other was, that such as would not be christened should depart the country.

About the fifteenth year of the reign of Alfred, the Danes returning from France to England, landed in Kent, and so came to Rochester and besieged that city; and there lay so long that they built a tower of timber against the gates of the city. But by the strength of the citizens that tower was destroyed, and the city defended, till King Alfred came and rescued them. Whereby the Danes were so distressed, and so near trapped, that for fear they left their horses behind them, and fled to their ships by night. But the king, when he was aware thereof, sent after them and took sixteen of their ships, and slew many of the Danes. This done, the king returned to London, and repaired that city, and made it habitable, which before was decayed and enfeebled by the assaults of the Danes.

About the one-and-twentieth year of his reign, the Danes again landed in four places of this land; in the east, in the north, and in two places in the west.

When King Alfred ascertained that the Danes were landed, he went forth against them from where he was in East Anglia, and he pursued so sharply, that he drove them out from those parts. They then landed in Kent, whither the king, with his people, in like manner drave them out. After this, the Danes took shipping, and sailed into North Wales, and there robbed and spoiled the Britons.

The fourth host of the Danes, the same year, came to Chester, which at length they won: but then the country adjoining pressed so sore upon them, and besieged them so long, keeping them within the city, that at last the Danes, wearied with the long siege, were compelled to eat their own horses for hunger. Alfred, in the meanwhile, with his host marched thitherward. Then the Danes, leaving their strong-holds and castles, furnished with men and victuals, again took shipping, and so set their course that they landed in Sussex, and came to the port of Lewes, and from thence toward London, and builded a tower or castle twenty miles from London. But the Londoners hearing thereof, sent out a certain number of men of arms, who, with the assistance of them of that country, put the Danes from that tower, and after beat it down to the ground. Soon after the king came down thither, and to prevent the dangers that might ensue, commanded the river of Lea to be divided in three streams; so that where a ship might sail in times before, there a little boat might scarcely From thence the Danes leaving their ships and wives, were forced to fly that country, and took their way again toward Wales, to the river of Severn; where, upon the borders thereof they builded them a castle, there testing themselves for a time, whom the king soon pursued with his army. The year following, the Danes divided their host, part went to Northumberland, some to Norfolk, part sailed to France, others came to Westsax, where they had conflicts with the English, both by land, and upon the sea; some of whom were slain, many perished by shipwreck, others were taken and hanged, and thirty of their ships were taken.

row.

Not long after this, Alfred, when he had reigned nine-and-twenty years and six months, quitted this mortal life. And thus much, we write, touching the painful labours and trials of this good king; which he no less valiantly achieved, than patiently sustained for the defence of his realm and subjects.

Now if there be any who desires to see and follow the virtuous and godly disposition of this king, both touching the institution of his own life, and also concerning his careful government of the commonwealth, thus the histories record :-That when young, perceiving himself disposed to dissoluteness and vice, he did not, as many young princes and kings' sons in the world now do, that is, give themselves to all kind of license, and dissolute sensuality, but, wishing to avoid the temptation, he besought God that he would send to him some continual sickness, whereby he might be kept from any dissolute

habits, and be more profitable to the public business of the commonwealth, and more apt to serve God in his calling.

The bountiful goodness joined with prudence in this man, in the ordering and disposing his riches and rents, is not unworthy to be recited; he divided his goods into two equal parts, the one he appropriated to secular uses, the other to spiritual or ecclesiastical. Of which two principal parts, the first he divided into three portions, the first to the support of his house and family; the second upon the workmen and builders of his new works, whereof he had great delight and cunning; the third upon strangers. Likewise the other half for spiritual uses, he divided into four portions, one to the relieving of the poor, another to the monasteries, the third portion to the schools of Oxford, for the maintaining of good letters; the fourth he sent to foreign churches without the realm.

He was most sparing and frugal of time, as of a thing in this earth most precious. He so divided the day and night in three parts (if he were not hindered by wars and other great business) that he spent eight hours in study and learning, eight hours in prayer and alms-deeds, and eight hours in his natural rest, sustenance of his body, and the needs of the realm.

How careful he was of the commonwealth, and for the maintenance of public tranquillity, his laws set forth and devised by him may declare. Wherein especially was provided by him for the extirpating and abolishing of all thieves out of the realm. Whereby the realm was brought into such tranquillity, or rather perfection, that in every cross or turning way through his dominion he caused to be set up a golden brooch, at least of silver gilded, and none were found so hardy as to take it down either by day or night. He diligently searched out the doings of his officers, and especially of his judges, so that if he knew any of them to err, either through covetousness or unskilfulness, he removed them from their office.

And thus much concerning the valiant acts and noble virtues of this worthy prince; whereunto although there were no other ornaments besides, yet they alone were sufficient to set forth a prince worthy of excellent commendation. Now, besides these other qualities and gifts of God's grace in him, there remains another part of no little praise and commendation, which is his learning and knowledge of good letters, whereof he was not only excellently expert himself, but also a worthy maintainer of the same through all his dominions; where there was no grammar or other sciences practised; through the industry of the king, schools began to be erected, and studies to flourish. Although among the Britons, in the town of Chester, both grammar and philosophy, with other tongues, was then taught. After that some other writers record that in the time of Egbert, king of Kent, this island began to flourish with philosophy. About which time some also think that the university of Grantchester, near to that which now is called Cambridge, began to be founded by Bede. fore these times, it is thought that there were two schools or universities within the realm, the one Greek at the town of Greglade, which afterward was called Kirkelade; the other for Latin, which place was then called Latinlade, afterward Lethelade near to Oxford.

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But however it chanced that the knowledge and study of good letters being once planted in this realm, afterward went to decay; yet King Alfred deserves no little praise for restoring or rather increasing the same. But this we may see, what it is to have a prince learned himself, who, feeling and tasting the price and value of science and knowledge, is thereby not only the more apt to rule, but also to instruct and frame his subjects, from a rude barbarity, to a more civil life, although it was somewhat late before he learned, yet such was the docility of his nature that, being a child, he had the Saxon poems (such as were used then in his own tongue) by heart and memory. Afterwards, with years he grew up in much perfection of learning and knowledge, which is the more to be marvelled at, for he was twelve years of age before he knew any letter. At which time his

mother having by chance a book in her hand, which he wished to have, promised to give it to him if he would learn it. Upon which he, through his desire to possess the book, soon learned the letters, his master being Pleimundus, afterwards bishop of Canterbury. And so he daily grew more and more in knowledge, that at length he translated a great part of the Latin library into English. Of which books, translated by him, was Orosius, Gregory's Pastoral, the History of Bede, Boetius on the Consolation of Philosophy. He also wrote a book in his own tongue, which he called a Hand Book. Besides the history of Bede translated into the Saxon tongue, he also himself compiled a history in the same speech, called The History of Alfred, &c. And as he was himself excellently well learned, so he likewise inflamed all his countrymen with the love of letters. Also his nobles he allured to the embracing of good letters, so that they set all their sons to schools; or if they had no sons, yet they caused their servants to be taught. He began, moreover, to translate the Psalter in English, and had almost finished the same, when death prevented

him.

Moreover, among other learned men who were about King Alfred, histories make mention of John Scot, (a godly divine, and a learned philosopher). This John is described to be of a sharp wit, of great eloquence, and well expert in the Greek tongue, of a pleasant and merry nature, as appears by many of his doings and answers. He left his own country of Scotland, by reason of the great tumults of war, and went to France, where he was worthily entertained, and for his learning was held in great estimation by Charles the Bald, the French king; so that he was commonly and familiarly about the king. One day, the king sitting at meat, and seeing something (belike in this John Scot) which seemed not very courtly, merrily asked of him what difference there was betwixt a Scot and a sot? to which the Scot sitting over against the king, somewhat lower, replied again suddenly, rather than advisedly (yet merrily) saying, the table only; importing thereby himself to be the Scot, and so calling the king a sot by craft. Which word, how other princes would have taken, I know not, but this Charles, for the great reverence he bear to his learning, turned it but to a laughter among his nobles, and so let it pass.

Another time, the same king being at dinner, was served with a certain dish of fish, wherein were two great fishes and a little one. After the king had taken thereof his repast, he sent the fish down to John Scot, to distribute to the other two clerks sitting with him, who were two tall and mighty persons, he himself being but a little man. John, taking the fish, takes and carves to himself the two great ones; the little fish he reaches to the other two. The king perceiving his division thus made, reprehended it. Then John, whose manner was ever to find out some honest matter to delight the king, answered, proving his division to stand just and equal: for here, (said he) are two great, and a little, pointing to the two great fishes and himself; and likewise here again is a little one and two great, pointing to the little fish, and the two great persons. I pray you (said he) what odds is there, or what distribution can be more equal? Whereat the king with his nobles being much delighted, laughed merrily.

The same John Scot moreover compiled a book, in which is contained the resolution of many profitable questions; but he is thought to follow the Greek church rather than the Latin, and for the same was counted of some to be an heretic; because there be some things in that book which in all points accord not with the Romish religion. Wherefore the pope, writing to King Charles, complains that a certain man called John, a Scottish man, had translated the book of Dionysius the Areopagite, of the names of God, and of the heavenly orders, from Greek into Latin. Which book, according to the custom of the church, ought first to have been approved by our judgment; namely, seeing the said John (although he is said to be a man of great learning and science) in time past has been noted to have been a man not of upright or sound doctrine, in certain points, &c. For this cause Scot, being constrained to remove from France, came to

England, allured by the letters of King Alfred, by whom he was entertained with great favour, and continued a long time about the king; till at length (whether before or after the death of the king it is uncertain) he went to Malmesbury, where he taught certain scholars a few years, by which scholars at last he was most impiously murdered and slain with their penknives, and so died.

King Alfred having these helps of learned men about him, and no less learned also himself, passed his time to the great utility and profit of his subjects. Alfred had two sons, Edward and Ethelward, and three daughters, Elfleda, Ethelgora, and Ethelguida. Edward, his eldest son, succeeded him in the kingdom; the second son, Ethelward, died before his father: Ethelgora, his middle daughter, was made a nun, the other two were married, the one in Merceland, the other to the Earl of Flanders. Thus King Alfred, the valiant, virtuous, and learned prince, after he had thus christianly governed the realm, the term of nine-and-twenty years and six months, departed this life, 5th November, (A. D. 901), and lies buried at Winchester. Of whom I find, moreover, this thing greatly noted and commended in history, and not here to be forgotten, for the rare example thereof, that wherever he was, or whithersoever he went, he always bore about him a little book containing the Psalms of David, and certain other orisons of his own collecting. Whereupon he was continually reading or praying, whenever he had any leisure.

As to the course and proceedings of the Romish bishops, I last mentioned Pope Stephen VI. After his time there was much broil in the election of the bishops of Rome, one contending against another; so that in the space of nine years, there were nine bishops! the first was Formosus, who succeeded Stephen VI., being made pope against the mind of certain in Rome, who preferred Sergius. This Formosus had offended Pope John VIII., by reason whereof, for fear of the pope, he left his bishopric. And because, being sent for by the pope, he would not return, he was excommunicated. At length coming to make his satisfaction to the pope, he was degraded from a bishop into a secular man's habit, swearing to the pope that he would no more reenter into the city of Rome, nor claim his bishopric again, subscribing moreover with his own hand, to continue from that time in the state of a secular person. But then Pope Martin, (the next pope after John), released Formosus of his oath, and restored him again to his bishopric; whereby Formosus entered not only into Rome again, but also shortly after obtained the papacy. Thus, he being placed in the popedom, there arose a great doubt or controversy among the divines about his consecration, whether it was lawful or not; some holding against him, that as he was solemnly deposed, degraded, unpriested, and also sworn not to reassume the ecclesiastical state, therefore he ought to be taken no otherwise than for a secular man. Others alleged again, that whatever Formosus was, yet for the dignity of the order, and for the credit of those whom he ordained, all his consecration ought to stand in force, especially as Formosus was afterwards received and absolved by Pope Martin from his perjury and degradation, &c. In the mean time, Formosus sends to King Arnulphus for aid against his adversaries; when then marching toward Rome, was there resisted by the Romans from entering. But Arnulphus obtaining the city of Rome, rescues Pope Formosus, and beheads his adversaries; the pope to gratify him in return, blesses and crowns him as emperor. Thus Formosus sitting about the space of four or five years, followed his predecessors; after whose time (as I said) within the space of nine years were nine bishops as follows. But in the mean time concern. ing this Formosus, I would gladly ask, and more gladly learn of some impartial good catholic person, who being a papist, not in obstinacy, but in simple error, would answer his conscience-whether he thinks the holy order of priesthood, which he takes for one of the seven sacraments, to be an indelible character or not? If it be not indelible, that is, if it be such a thing as may be put off, why then does the pope's doctrine pretend it to be indelible, and unremoveable? or if it be indeed as they

H

teach and affirm, of an indelible character, why then did Pope John, or could Pope John annihilate and evacuate one of his seven pope-holy-sacraments, making of a priest a non-priest, or layman, uncharactering his own order which is (as he says) a character which in nowise may be blotted out or removed? Again, however Pope John is to be judged in this matter, as either well or not well; this I would know, whether he did well in dispriesting and discharacterising Formosus for such private offences? If he did, how then stands his doing with his own doctrine which teaches the contrary? If he did not well, how then stands his doctrine with his doings, which teaches that the pope with his synod of cardinals cannot err? Moreover, if this Pope John did not err in his disordaining Formosus, how then did Martin his successor not err in repealing the act of his predecessor? or how did not Pope Formosus err himself, who being unpriested by Pope John without reiterating the charac. ter or order of priesthood, took upon him to be pope, and made acts and laws in the church? Again, if Formosus, when he was pope, did not err, how then did Pope Stephen, his successor, afterwards not err, who annihilated the consecration, and all other acts of Formosus as erroneous? Or, again, if we say that this Stephan with his synod of cardinals did right, then how could it be that Pope Theodore, and Pope John IX. who came after Stephen, did not err, who approving of the consecration of Formosus, did condemn and burn the synodical acts of Stephen and his cardinals, who before had condemned Formosus ?

After Formosus had governed the see of Rome five years, Boniface VI. succeeded, who continued but fiveand-twenty days. Then came Stephen VII. who so hated the name of his predecessor Formosus, that he abrogated and dissolved his decrees, and taking up his body after it was buried, cut two fingers off his right hand, and commanded them to be cast into the Tiber, and then buried the body in a private or lay-man's sepulchre !

After Stephen had sat in the chair of pestilence one year, Pope Romanus succeeded, and sat three months, repealing the acts decreed by Stephen against Formosus. Next to him came Theodore II., who, taking part with Formosus against Stephen, reigned but twenty days. Than sat Pope John IX., who to confirm the cause of Formosus more surely, held a synod at Ravenna of seventy-four bishops, with the French king, and his archbishops present at it. At this council were ratified all the decrees and doings of Formosus, and the contrary acts of the synod of Stephen VII. were burned. This pope continued not quite two years, after whom succeeded Benedict IV., who kept the chair three years. After whom Leo V., he within forty days of his papacy, was taken and cast into prison by one Christopher, his own chaplain. Which Christopher, being pope about the space of seven months, was likewise himself driven from his papal throne by Sergius III., as he had done to his master before. And thus within the space of nine years, nine popes had succeeded one after another. Then Sergius after he had thrust down Pope Christopher, and shorn him and put him as a monk into a monastery, occupied the room seven years. This Sergius, a rude man and unlearned, very proud and cruel, had before been put back from the popedom by Formosus above mentioned. Therefore to revenge himself on Formosus, he caused the body of Formosus, where it was buried, to be taken up; and afterwards sitting in the papal see (as in his pontificalibus) first degraded him, then commanded his head to be smitten off, with the other three fingers that were left, and then commanded his body to be thrown into the Tiber, deposing likewise all such as by Formosus had before been consecrated and invested. This body of Formosus, thus thrown into the Tiber, was afterward (as our writers say) found and taken up by certain fishers, and so brought into St. Peter's temple. At the presence whereof (as they say) certain images standing by, bowed themselves down, and reverenced the same! But such deceivable miracles of stocks and images, in monkish temples are no news to us, especially here in England, where we have been so inured with the like and so many, that such wily practices cannot be invisible, to us, though this crown-shorn generation think them

selves to dance in a net. But the truth is, while they think to deceive the simple, these wily beguilers most of all deceive themselves, as they will find, except they repent. By this Pope Sergius first came up the custom of bearing about candles on Candlemas-day, for the purifying of the blessed Virgin; as if the sacred conception of Jesus the Son of God, were to be purified as a thing impure, and that with candle light.

After Sergius was Pope Anastasius. After Anastasius had sat two years, followed Pope Lando, the father (as some historians think) of Pope John, which John is said to have been set up by Theodora, an infamous woman of Rome, either against Lando, or after Lando to succeed in his room. Luithprand, mentions this Theodora and Pope John X., and says, "that Theodora had a daughter named Marozia, which Marozia had a son by Pope Sergius, who afterward was Pope John XI. The same Marozia afterwards married Guido, marquis of Tuscia, through the means of which Guido and his friends at Rome, she had this Pope John X. smothered with a pillow after he had reigned thirteen years, that so John XI., her son, might succeed after him. But because the clergy and people of Rome did not agree to his election, therefore Pope Leo was set up. Thus Pope John, the son of Sergius, and Marozia being rejected, Pope Leo reigned seven months. After him Pope Stephen two years, who being poisoned, then was Pope John XI., the son of Sergius and Marozia set up again in the papacy, where he reigned near the space of five years. Of the wickedness of this Marozia, how she married two brothers, one after the death of the other, and how she governed all Rome, and the whole church at that time I let pass. After John XI., followed Pope Leo, who reigned three years and four months. Pope Stephen IX., three years and four months. Pope Martin three years and six months; after him Pope Agapetus eight years and six months. About whose time, or a little before, first began the order of monks, called, "The monks of Cluny," &c. But now to leave off these monstrous matters of Rome, we return again to our country of England, where we left off.

KING EDWARD THE ELDER.

After the reign of Alfred, his son Edward succeeded. This Edward began his reign, (A. D. 901). and governed right valiantly and nobly twenty-seven years. In knowledge of good letters and learning he was not to be compared to his father, otherwise in princely renown, in the civil government, and such like martial prowess, he was nothing inferior, but rather excelled him; through whose valiant acts first the princedom of Wales and the kingdom of Scotland, with Constantine king thereof, were subdued to him. He added moreover to his dominion, the country of East Anglia, that is Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. All Merceland also he recovered, and Northumberland out of the hands of the Danes. In all his wars he never lightly went without victory. The subjects of his provinces and dominions were so inured and hardened in continual practice and feats of war, that when they heard of enemies coming (never tarrying for any bidding from the king or from his dukes) straightways they encountered with them, always excelling their adversaries both in numbers and the knowledge of the art of war.

About the twelfth year of his reign, the Danes repenting them of their covenants, and minding to break the same, assembled an host, and met with the king in Staffordshire, at a place called Totenhall, and soon after at Wodenfield, at which two places, the king slew two kings, two earls, and many thousands of Danes that occupied the country of Northumberland.

Thus the importunate rage of the Danes being assuaged, King Edward having now some leisure given from wars to other studies, gave his mind to the building or repairing of cities, towns, and castles, that had been razed, shattered, and broken by the Danes.

As touching the laws and statutes of this Edward, as also of his father Alfred, I omit here to record them on account of their length: yet notwithstanding I think good to note that in the days of these ancient kings of