FOr as moche as in the englische boke the whiche y haue compiled of legenda aurea and of oþer famous legendes at the instaunce of my specialle frendis and for edificacioun and comfort of alle tho þe whiche shuld redene hit or here hit, is oftene-tyme in lyvis of seyntis, Of seynt Cedde, seynt Felix, seynt Edwarde, seynt Oswalde and many oþer seyntis of Englond, mencyoun made of dyuers partis, plagis, regnis & contreis of this lande Englonde, þe w^che, but if þey be declared, byne fulle hard to knowene: | Therfore, for þe more clerere vndirstandynge of the seid thyngis and othur, y haue drawe owt in to englische XV chapturs þe whiche Arnulphusl. Ranulphus. Cistrens{is}= Cistrense oder Cistrensis. in his policronica of this landis descripcioun writethe in the last ende of his furst boke; the w^ch welle knowene & cowde, hit shalle byne easy ynoughe to vnderstande alle þat is towched þer-of in the seyd legende. So thane this breefe compendious tretice shalle conteynene XVII Chapptris, countynge this prohemye for the furst & the epiloge excusatory for the last. The forsaide prohemye, conteynynge brefly þe cawse of this tretis Capitulum pm. Of the dyuersite of the namys of this lande Capitulum II^m. Of the sight= site, situs. of this land & demencions þer-of Capitulum III Of synguler prerogatives of þis land Capitulum IIII Of the gret & mervellous wondurs of this lande Capitulum V Of (the) III pryncipalle partis of this lande Capitulum VI Of the collaterall Iles of this lande Capitulum VII Of the IIII gret kyngis highe-weyes of this lande Capitulum VIII Of the famowsost fflodes of this lande Capitulum IX Of the dyuersitees of Shires of þis lande Capitulum X Of the old famows Citees of þis lande Capitulum XI Of the lawis and hur namys in þis lande Capitulum XII Of the regnis & þer departicions in þis lande Capitulum XIII Of the bischopriches & hur Cees in þis lande Capitulum XIV Of the whiche, whane, & of how many hath byne dwellyd þisMS in þis. lande Capitulum XV Of the dwellers tonges, condicions and maners Capitulum XVI A short epiloge excusatorie of the Translatours rudenes Capitulum XVII

Old auctors seyene that this yle was clepyd Albyoun, peraventure of the white Craggis and Clyffis abowt the see-bankys, þe which apperyne ferre in the see to heme þat commyne þer-towarde. | This yle Albyoun was som-tyme clepyd Dyanis yle and furst inhabited & dwellid withe geauntisZusatz., tylle aftur þe destruc∣cioun of Troye þat Brutus w^t his felischippe aryved þer-in and, the geauntis ouer∣comene & distroyedeZusatz., Inhabited and aftur his name cleped hit Brytayne. And so hyt contynewide vndir hys name tylle longe aftur þat Saxones conquered þis lande. And of oone Anglia or Angleal. Angela., a worþy pryncis doughtur of Saxonye, þe w^ch was lady þer-of, hit was cleped Anglia, Yngelonde. ‖ Ysidorus in þe XV. boke of his ethymologis will haue hit cleped Anglia of angulus, þe w^ch is a Cornere, ffor Englonde, quod he, stant in a Cornere of the worlde... As Alfrede seithe, Eng∣lond is cleped a noþer worlde; þe whiche, quod he, for the gret plentewesnes of alle-maner commoditees Karolus magnus cleped hit his chambur. Solinus seithe þat þe margyne & þe brynk of the see past Fraunce shulde be þe ende of the worlde, ne were þe yle cleped Brytayne, þe whiche is worthy þe name of a noþer worlde: hec ille.

Sethe hit is so þat þis second Chapitre promittethe to discriene þe sight of þis lande and vndur what aspecte of hevyne hyt lyethe and to w^ch countrees hit is moost nerre: ‖ hit is to be knowene þat þe sight of þis lande is in þe west ende of the worlde anempste Germayne, Fraunce & Spayne betwixt þe Northe & the West, disseuered & departed from þe seid countrees w^t the see. ‖ AndAnd—Northfolke ist im lat. die letzte hälfte des Cap., as Ysidore seithe in his XIIII. boke of his ethymologies, | Brytayne stant w^t-in the Occiane as þaughe hit were in a noþer worlde. | And hathe his lengthe frome Sowthe in to Northe:MS. Northe-Sowthe. ‖ Sowthest þer-fro stant Fraunce, Sowthwest Spayne, Northe þens is Norwey, | and Ireland fulle West: ‖ wherof þe furst land þat apperethe to hem þe w^ch seylene thidure, is a Cite cleped Rutiport, þe w^ch, as seiethe Bede, is cleped of englische mene Reptacestire. The lengthe of Þis Ile, as seithe Solinus, is MS. XVIII. VIII C. M^l. paas, | þat is VIIIC myle, who-so wille metene hit frome þe brynke of Totenese vn-to the angille of Calidonye. þat is to say, as saithe Alfride, frome a place cleped Penwithcestre XV lewkis by-yonde þe see of StoweLat. ultra Muchelstow. in Cornewaile vn-to Cathenesse or Calidonye in þe vttirmest parti of Scotlande. The brede þer-of is CC thowsand paas & more, if hit be countid from Meneuye, þe w^ch is clepid seynt Dauyd, in þe west end of Sowthe-Wales in to Yarmowthe in Northfolke. ‖ And for as moche, as seithe Giralde, þat þis Ile is auelonge, hit is largere in þe myddes þane hit is in þe extremytees. And for by-cawse, as seithe Bede, þat þis Ile lithe so moche vndur þe Northe plage of heuyne, þerfore hit hathe so brighte nyghtis in somere, þat abowt mydsomer hit is oft dovted of hem þat beholdene hit wheþur þat brightnes be of þe Euerode aftur þe sonne goynge downe or els of þe morow-day spryngynge before þe risynge of þe sonne. ‖ And þis brightnes (comyth) of that (þat) þe sonne is þat tyme so litelle while vndur þe erthe; and for a skille hit is þat þe day(is) þat tyme of þe ȝere arne here so longe as XVIII howres, and þe nightes so short as but VI howres, and in wyntur þey byne euyne þe contrary; notw^tstandynge þat in Armenye, Macedonye and Italle and alle oþer regions þe whiche liene vndur þe same lyne, þe lengust day conteynethe but XV howres in somyr, and þe nyght IX, an contrary in wyntur. ‖ PliniusMS. plimius. in þis mater seithe þus: In an Ile cleped Merore, þe w^che is hed of Ynde, þe lengust day is but XII howres of lengthe, In Egipt but XIII, In Italle XV, and in Britayne XVIII, and in the Ile of Tile, þe w^che is þe last Ile in þe Northewest, The VI somer-monethis be contynewally day, and in wyntur-monthes contynnewelly nyght: hec Plinius.MS. plimius.

BEde in þe furst Chapitre of hisMS. this. boke spekynge of the syngulere preroga∣tiffis of þis land seithe one þis wise: Britayne is an Ile best for Corne and trees, apte to brynge forthe beestis, plentevous of beestis & fowles of dyuers kyndes boþe in lande & in watur, Copiouse off fisches boþe in Ryvers, stagnys & pon∣dis, Ele and Tenche is there right plentewous. In so moche, as William de pon∣tificibus seithe, þat þe Rurals offtene-tyme þrowyne owt hur fysches to fedyne w^t hur swyne. There byne also oftyne take, quod Bede, Delphynes, Calvryne of þe see and Whalles, beside many-maner Shelle-fysche. | Amonge þe w^che princi∣pally byne Muskellis wherin be fovndene noble margarites of alle-maner colovres, as red, purpulle, Jacinctyne, & prassyne, & moost plenteuously þe white. ‖ There is also foundyne a certeyne shelle-fische of whos blode is poyntedl. peynted. a fresche ver∣mylon coloure, þe w^ch neithure w^t sonne ne Reyne may be defaced, but þe eldur it is þe moore fresche and bright of coloure. ‖ This Ile hathe also, quod Bede, salt wellis (&) whotest. hote. welles, and of hem flodis of hoot bathes conuenyent to euery kynde and to euery age... | This Ile also, quod he, is plentevouse of veynes of metallis, as of bras, yrene, leed, tyne, & siluere. ‖ In this Ile is foundyne a cer∣teyne kynde of erthe þe w^ch is cleped marle, þe whiche, if hit be sprenclid a-brode in þe felde, hit makethe hit fatte & plentevous like as donge shuld do. | Also þer is anodur kynde of erthe as it were white clay, þe w^ch sprenklyd one landis makethe hem plentevouse IIIIlat. LXXX. yere aftur & moore. Solinus seithe þat þis Ile hathe þe best geetMS. geet mit i über g.; wherof, quod he, if þou aske þe beawte, hit is blakkere þane any gemme; If þow aske þe nature, hit brennethe in watur and is queynched in oyle; If þou aske þe powere: if hit be welle rubbed & chaaffed & made hoot, hit wille likkyne vp mootis and holdyne stille þyngus applied þerto; If þou aske þe benefite þer-of: if hit be dronkyne, it is good agayns þe dropesie; and, as Bede seith, if hit be sett one þe fire, þe odur þer-of dryvethe awey serpentis. | Isidorus seithe in his XV. boke þat þis Ile hathe shepe best of wolle, & wyld beestis and venysoun, but hit hathe no wolfes; and þer-fore, quod he, sheepe byne left in þe fold sekurly in þis Ile, w^toutene kepynge. | In þis Ile also, quod helat. Ranulphus., be many feyre & grete Citees, gret ffische-fflodis, gret pasturable wodes, quarreis of marbulle of dyuers coloures, reed and white, soft and sadde. | There is cley, bothe white & reed, to make w^t erthene vessellisMS. vesselle. and to colowryne w^t tyles; minersMS. viners. & salt wellisMS. welle.. | This Ile is also commodiouse to many contreyes: ffor Flaundris desirethe þe wolles, Normandie þe leddur & þe skynnes, Gascoyne þe Irene & þe leede, The myneris (&) þe saltis (Irlond)fehlt im MS., & the Tynne is desired þroughte-owt alle Europe. ‖ These commoditees and many oþer a gret vercyfier considerynge, seid þus þer-of in metre: Versus: Anglia terrarum. decus & flos finitimarum Willelmus Brewyñlat Henricus de Prerogatiuis Anglie. Die 2 letzten verse sind aus Al∣fridus. Est contenta sui. fertilitate boni; Externas gentes. consumptis rebus egentes, Quando fames ledit,. recreat et reficit; Comoda terra satis. mirande fertilitatis Prosperitate viget,. cum bona pacis habet. Anglorum portus. occasus nouit & ortus; Anglica classis habet. quod multa loca iuuet. Insula prediues que toto non eget orbe Et cuius totus indiget orbis ope.

Every Contre and lande hathe his commoditees and mervailes, like as hit pleasithe þe auctor of alle thyngis, þe w^che is to be praysed & worshipped in alle his werkis. And for as moche as þroughe his specialle grace this yle Bry∣tayne is syngulerly priuylegid w^t bothe, ‖ and in the Chapitre inmediate biforne myne auctor hathe compendiously declared þe commoditees, | in þis Chapitre he tretethe somwhat of þe merveilles & the wondres.Der anfang des Cap. ist zusatz. ‖ Amonge þe whiche IIII he namethe for princypalle: | The furst is, quod he, þat in þe Peek is an hille owt of þe w^che be þe cavernis of þe erthe þe wynde commyth euer so myghtylie, | Þat if a mane throw in a clothe, hit is anon blowyne owt ageyne ferre in to the ayre one highe. The seconde is, quod he, at Stonehynge, beside Salisbury, where stones of huge gretnes in manere of Gates byne liffted vppe, so þat hit semythe oo gate to be sette vppone a noþer; and yet no mane may perseve howe nor by what craft þey werne lifted vppe nor why þey were sette there. ‖ The thridde is, quod he, at Shardhole, where is a gret Cave in to þe erthe, in to þe w^che moche folke hane oftene gone | and þey siene gret large space of grovnde & mony flodis, but þey cowde neuer fynde ende per-of. The IIII^th, quod he, is þat of certayne hilles hit semeth rayne vnwarly to be lifted vppe and anone forthe∣withe it is diffundid in to þe feldis. ‖ Beside þese IIII Policronica rehersithe XII oþur wondurfulle þyngus, wher-of many aftur myne estimacioun byne as mer∣vellous as any of þe seide IIII; and þey byne these. Ther is, quod he, a stagne conteynynge w^t-in hit LX habitable Iles, þe w^che is envirouned abowtene w^t LX Cragges, and in euery Cragge was somtyme an Egles nest; | and LX flodes flowyne in þe same stagne, and noone of heme rennythe in to þe see but oone. | There is also a stagne envirouned abowtyne w^t a walle of stone & of tile, where∣in many mene oftyne-tymes waschyne hem, and þe watur þer-of is to vche mane as he wille haueMS. hane? Die Leg. haben han oder haue (auch im reim). it, hoot or colde. | Ther byne also salt wellis, right ferre fro þe see, wherof þe watur alle þe woke tylle Saturday at noone hit is alle salt as any watur in þe see, But from Saturday at noone tylle moneday hit is as fresche as is watur in other wellis; and of this salt watur by sethynge þe dwellers-bye makyne fayre white salt & subtile—and þat is at an litelle towne beside Worcetur, cleped Wyche, þe best of Englondeand þat—Englonde zusatz.. | There is anodur stagne, quod he, wher∣of þe watur hath þis workynge, that, if alle þe mene of the Cuntrey stodene þer∣bye and looked þer-one w^t hur facis þer-toward, hit shuld make moyst furst alle hur clothis and so drawyne hem violently in to the stagne; and hors one like wise. But if hur bak were to the watur-warde and hur face frowarde, hit shuld no-thynge done to hem. | Ther is also a welle in to þe whiche, ner fro þe whiche, flowithe no ryvere, | and yet þer byne taken in IIII-maner fisches; and hit hathe but XX foot in lengthe & XX of brede, nor it is but kne-deepe, | & hathe highe brynkes one vche side. | In þe Regioun of Wenta is a diche owt of þe w^che þe wynde blowethe alle-wey so soore, þat no mane may stondyne þer-ageyns but hit blow hym downe. | Ther is eke in þat same regioun a stagne wher-in if a stikke be leyd & lie þer-in XII monethes, | hit shalle turne in to a whetstone. | Ther is also an hille one þe top wherof þer is a grave-stone in þe whiche wo-so-euer lye one hyme, | be he more or lesse, | hit shalle be euyne mete for hyme; ‖ and if a wery pilgrym come thidur & knele downe þer-to, | whane he risethe vp ageyne, alle his werynes shalle be gone. ‖ Beside þe monastery of Wy(n)burnense, þe w^che is not ferre fro Bathe, is a wode þe trees wherof if þey fallyne in þe lande besiden or yneMS. nye. þe watur, | w^t-in a ȝere aftir þey shalle be turnyd in to a stone. | Vndir þe Cite of Chestur rennethe þe flode cleped Dea, þe w^che flode departethe Englonde & Walis a-sondire: ‖ This flode, as seyene þe dwellers-bye, is wone to chaunge his dammys euery monethe, and to whethur side eyþur of Inglond or of Walis þat hit more lene to, þe dwellers takyne hit for a pronosticacioun þat for þat ȝere þat part shalle gone vndur & be putte at the worst, and þe oþer part preuaylene. | The seid flode Dea takithe his ori∣ginalle begynnynge at a lake clepid Pymbilenerelat. Pymbelmere., and notw^t-stondynge þat þe seid flode Dea haboundethe & (is) plenteuous of samoun, yet yneMS. þat nye. þe lake is neuer seyene noone.—Das folgende ist zusatz. Other many mo mervellis of þis lande y founde in an old auctor, þe whiche y haue set in here, | for as moche as þey byne vnknowe & straunge | and as possible to be trew as any of that oþer. | Ther is, quod þis auctor, a white hors w^t his foole of a stone not right grete vppone an hille, þe whiche if a mane bere thens II myle or III or els as ferre as hym lust, w^t-outene any dowt one þe next day hit shalle be foundene ageyne one the hille fro whens hit was borne. | Ther lithe a stone, quod he, besidene ane highe-wey, whervppon if hit happe a mane to tredyne þer-one, whidur-so-euer he go fro thens, | he nedis must come þiþur agayne þe same wey. | Ther byne, quod he, II hilles, a more & a lesse, standynge nyghe to-gedure, and if II mene begynne to renne to-gedure þe toon abovt þe gret hille & þe toþer abowt þe smallere hille, þey shulle metyne ageyne to-gedur þere as þey begane to renne. | There is a certeyne lake, quod he, wheþer if a mane bringe any yrene þe w^che he wille haue made, save armure allone, and ley hit one þe lakis brynk at evyne, & þer-by a quantite of mete & drynk, and let heml. hym. comme ageyne one þe next morow: | &Tilge &. he shalle fynde his werke made one þe best wise. | Ther is also a stone vppone an highe hille þe whiche is bored throwghe a gret hoole: wher-in if a yarde be cast, III myle thens vndir an hille in þe gravelle of the see hit shalle be founde. | Ther is also a gret swalow vndur a gret cragge one þe see-brynke, wher-in if a mane cast a litille ffagott of grene yardes boundyne to-gedur, | and go thens & come agayne anon aftur, | he shalle fynde þe fagot vnboundene, | & þe yardus white w^t-oute barke comyne owt of þe swelow | oone aftur a nodur, as þaughe þey had be cast owt violently w^t a gret streme. | Ther is at þe foot of a gret hille a dore | entrynge in, | and if a mane brynge w^t hyme mete sufficient for VII dayes, and candellel. candellis. y-noughe to brenne VII nyghtis, and entur in at þe dore: he shalle etyne vppe alle his mete & brenne alle his candelel. candellis. | & wene to be there-in VII nyghtis, and yet he shalle be there but oone day & oone nyght at þe moost. | Ther is a place in the Peek clepid Arthuris Ovene, þe w^che is rownde as ane Ovene, w^t-outene any couerynge a-bouyne, | and yet fallithe þer neuer in reyne, hayle, ne snow. | Ther liethe a litelle stone vndir an hille þe w^che euery mane, yonge or olde, febille or stronge, may liftene vp to his knees, but no mane abouyne. | Ther is a fosse or a diche fulle of wature, whethur if a mane come and seye: »lende me that thynge«, namynge what thynge he wille haue, | and set a day of restytucioun: | anonMS. and anon. he shalle haue it. But and he breke his day | & brynge hit not ageyne, he shalle neuer borowyne þer more, | haue he neuer so grete nede. | Ther is a stone meueable gret liynge vppone þe toppe of an hille VIII myle from þe see, | and þis stone hathe a grete hoole abouyne þer-vppone, | and euer as þe see flowithe, þe watur intilge þe w. in. þat hole is fulle of watur, | and agayne as þe see ebbethe, þe watur in þat hoole discresithe. | Ther is a churche-yarde in þe w^che who-so take eny thynge by wey of stalthe, of thefte or raveyne or eny oþer onlefulle tytle, | anon þat þynge shalle cleve so fast to his hande, þat neythur he shalle movyne puttyne hit from hyme ne drawyne hit to hyme, tylle þe pryst come & say ouer hym a pater noster and Joyne hyme penance for his defawte.

These mervelles & many mo I founde in an old auctor, like as y said be∣forne, but whethur þey byne alle sothe or no, y reporte me to hem þe w^che byne moore experte in suche þyngus þane y. For y wylle neither afferme hem for trewthe ner condempne hem for fals. But thus dar y welle sey & hope for trewthe þat Policronica in his last ende of (t)his chapitre, rehersynge Willelmus de regibȝ lib.^o 2^o., concludithe, seiynge one þis wise: Hit is to be considered deuovtely how moche cleere brightnes of goddis mercyfulle pite hathe syngulerly Illumined & iradied þe peple of Ynglond from the bygynnynge of the feithe recevid, | þat no-wheere of no peple in oo prouynce be foundyne so many seyntis bodies liynge hool aftur hur dethe, incorupt & hauynge þe similitude & þe examplary of finalle incorupcioun, as byne in Yngelond; | and he exemplifiethe by seynt Edwardlat. Etheldreda. | and seynt Edmu(n)d kyngis, | seynt Alphege & seynt Cutberde bischopes. ItemDas folgende ist zusatz. at Wecestre in þe Cathedralle-churche besides þe highe-awtere one þe sowthe side þer liethe a bischoppe, called John̄ Constaunce, þe body vncorupte, þe vestimentis in like wise as holle & as soote as may be; | and seynt Andree wife twyes queen & maydounl. maydone?. | & y dar boldly by auctoryte of experyence addyne her-to | kynge Edwardis doughtre þe furst aftir þe conqueste, | Dame Jone of Acris, whos body lithe hool & incorrupt in þe frires queere of Clare one þe sowthe side, | ffor whome oure lordis grace booth of old tyme & newe hathe shewid þer many gret miracles, and specially in III thynges, as in tothe-ache, peyne in þe bake, & also of þe acces.

Now consequently myn auctor policronica spekynge of þe collateral ylys of þis londe seithe þis: þat bysyde Orchadas, þe w^che Claudius cesar ordeynyd schulde perteynyn & longyn to þus londe, | Ther been oþur III collateralle Ilis, answerynge yn maner to þe III principalle parties of þis londe. | For one þe sowþe of Loegrye lyþe þe Ile of Wighte, | and on þe northe syde of Walis lyþe þe Ile of Anglysseye, | and at þe weste syde of Scotlonde lyþe þe Ile of Man; | and alle þese III Ilis been neer of oo qua(n)tite; of the w^ch hit schalle be saide here-aftur be ordre. | Das folgende bis ille ist zusatz. But for as moche as yn þe begynnynge of þus chapiture is mencioun made of Ilis þe wiche byn clepid Orchades, hit is not ynconvenient, ffirst to tellyn here what Ilis they byn, where þey lyin, & how many been þer-of. | Alle þese declarythe Bartholous de proprietatibȝ li^o. 12^o. c^o. de Insulis, seyinge on þis wise: Orchada, quod he, is an Ile yn þe briton see ny Europa, where-of alle þe oþer Ilis lyinge nyȝe þer-by hane þe same name & byne clepid Orchades; | and þer byn þer-of yn alle þe nowmbur of XXXIIII; where-of XX byn deserte & not dwellyd vpone, XIIII habitid & dwellid: hec ille.—The Ile of Wyghte, þe w^che Vaspasianus, sent of Claudius þe emperour, conquerid & gat, haþe yn lenthe from þe Este yn to the weste abowten XXX myle, and yn breede fro the sowþe northe-warde XII myle. On the est ende hit is fro mydday brynke of Loegrye, þe w^ch is now propurly clepid Englonde, VI myle, and on þe weste ende but III myle. The mesure of þis Ile, aftur þe estymacyoun of englysshe men, is abowtyne a thousond & II hundryd men or howsehooldys. | The Ile of An∣glysseye, þe w^ch is departid from norþe-Walis is but a-bowte þe space of IIIlat. II. myle, conteynythe CCC & LX & III townys, and is of lenthe & breede a-cordynge to þe Ile of Wighte, and hit conteynythe III tancredysl. cantredys. & an half& an half zusatz.. A tancrede is a compownyd worde of Englysshe & Walsshe, and hit betokynythe as moche as an hundryd townys londe. In to commendacioun of þis Ile þer is a comyn proverbe yn Walsshe, and hit is þis: Mon mamMS. main. kimry, That is to say on englyssh: Anglysseye modur of Walis; ffor, whan alle oþer londis faylen pasture, þe glebe of Anglysseye habundithe in so moche þat þe soyle ofl. of it &? lat. haec in annona, montes Snawdoniae in pastura. þe mounte of Snadonye myȝt suffysen yn pasture to alle þe bestis of Walis. Where-fore to þe facundite þer-of mow welle been applyed þese verse of Virgyle:

That Falsche initiale im MS. is to say: as moche as þe herdis of bestis gresyn vpon þe longe day, so moche the colde dewe restoryth ageyne yn þe schorte nyghte. In the narow arme of the see þe w^ch dysseyeryth þis Ile from þe Norþe-Walis, is a gole or a swelwhe the w^ch drawithe & swelwythe yn schyppis, lyke as Scilla & Caribdis doon beside Cicile, lesse þan men row ovyr-warly at a fulle see. | The thrydde Ile þe w^ch is clepid Menania, þat is to say þe Ile of Man, lyþe as hit were yn þe myd-novyl of the see, betwix Vltonye of Irelonde and þe Galowey Scottis. þus Ile conteynyth II partis, as hit were II Ilys: Off the w^ch þe ffurst, that lyþe Sowþe-warde, is bothe more of sighte & quantite, and also of plentevousnesse & fecundite, þan þe oþir, and hit conteynythe, aftur englysshe monnysl. mennys. estyma∣cyoun, nyne hundryd howseholdis & sexti. The secunde parte conteynythe abowte þe Noumbur of thre hundryd. Of þus Ile was onys a grete Contrauersye wheþer hit schulde longyn to Englonde or to Irelonde; and sor as moche as venymvs bestis browghte þeþer from oþur placis hit receyuyd & þey dyed not, Ther-fore hit was fully determynyd þat hit schulde longe to Englonde. In þis Ile, & spe∣cially yn the northe plage&—plage zusatz. sorteligis, supersticionus and wiche-craftis be moche vsid: ffor wemen þer syllyn shipemen wynd shet w^t-yn III knottis of a þryddel. þrede., þe w^ch as þey wylle haue more of þe wynde, þey muste on-do moo of the knottis. In þus same Ile also þe dwellers ofte-tyme not oonly by nyght but also by day-lyghte seen men þe w^ch been dede beforn, hedid or hool, aftur þe maner of hur dethe; and yf hit be so þat straungers and comers wille seen þat same sighte, þey settyn hur fette vppone þe dwellers ffete, and þen þey seen that they seen. | Thus Ile, quod Bede, from þe begynnynge was euer Inhabitid w^t Scottis. | Ther is anoþur Ile yn the Este ende of Englonde a lytylle ffrom Cauntyrbury, þe w^ch is clepid Thanathos, þat is þe Ile of Tenythe, so clepid of the deþe of serpentis, þe whiche mowen not ly(u)in þer-in; and not oonly þus Ile haþe no serpentis, but also þe erthe þer-of, borne yn to oþur placis, wylle sleen serpentis. The glebe of þis Ile is passynge plenteuosse & habundant: and that sum men opinyn þat hit comythe of the vertu of þe blessynge of seynt Austyne, doctor of Englonde, þe w^ch londyd there fyrste whan he browȝte yn crystondome yn to Englonde.

Very naturalle reson & kyndly gratitude determynythe þat euery secte & dyuersite of namys & mannys lyf schulde alle-wey dyfferryn & reuerencyne god∣heed & honowryne & worschipyne hit w^t sum righte or synguler cerymonye.Zusatz. Throughe þe whiche ynstynct mevid & steryd, ‖ Molmucius, þe XXIIIIlat. XXIII. kynge of the BrytounsMS. Brytonus? yn þus londe and the ffurste ordynere of lawes amonge hem, made a statute & ordeynyd that the templis of goddus, tyl-mynnes plowis, and weyes ledynge to grette Citees, schulde haue the priuylage of inmunyte, þat is to say, þat yf a persoun gylty of any cryme fledde to oony of these III for any tvycioun, þat no man schulde byn so hardy to takyn hym thens nor to hurtyn hym ne harmyn hym, vpone a grete peyne. And afturwarde by successioun of tyme for the weyes, yn as moche as þey were not dystinct and lymet by serteyne bon∣disand—bondis steht im MS. nach contencioun., þer grewe greet stryffe and contencioun: Wher-fore kynge Belinus, sonne of the saide Molmucius, to puttyne awey alle ambyguite & alle discencyoun & stryffe, did makyne IIII grete weyes and stabylysshed hem w^t alle maner of priuylegis; and hem he ordeynyd for to goon throwghe-owte alle the Ile. | Of þe w^ch weyes þe ffurste & the grettyste, clepid Fossh, extendithe hym fro þe sowþe-westeIm MS. ist weste durchstr. und est überschr. v. a. h. yn to the norþe-estest durchstr. und west überschr., by-gynnynge at þe cornere of Cornewayle in Totenesse & en∣dynge at the ende of Scotlonde at Catenesse. Sum seyen, and, as I suppose, more trewly, þat þis wey begynnythe in Cornewayle and goþe by Devynshire for∣þe to Somerset-shire and forthe by-syde Tewkysbury ouer the woldelat. supra Coteswold. by-syde Co∣ventre forthe to Leycetre, and so forþe ouer þe wylde pleynys towarde Vultorne, & endythe yne Lyncolne. | The secounde highe-weye is clepyd Watlynge-strete, bygynnynge yn þe sowþe-est at Douere and goþe thorughe þe myddys of Kente and goþe oner Temys by-syde Londone at the weste ende of Westemynster forþe to saynte Albonus, and west by Dunstable, by Stratforthe, by Touchestre, Wedu∣nam, þe southe syde of Lydburnel. Lylleburn., by Ashirston, & forþe ovir Fossheovir Fosshe zusatz. to seynt Gylbertis hille, the whiche is nowe clepid þe Wrekne, and forþe fro þense hit ker∣vithe Syuerne by-syden Wrokcestire, & gothe to Strectone & fro þense by þe myddis of Walis to Cardekan̄, & endythe yn the Irysshe see in þe weste-northeweste plage of þis Ile. | The thrydde hyghe-weye is clepid Ermyngestrete: and hit gothe fro the weste-sowthe-weste begynnynge at Meneuye or Seynt Dauid, and proce∣dithe forþe yn to the sowþe-Est and endithe at porte Hamond, þe whiche is nowe Sowþe-hampton̄. | The fourþe hyghe-weye, þe w^che is clepid Rikenildestrete, begynnythe at Meneuye, as þe toþer doþe, and gothe to Wourcestre, Wycumbe, by Bermyngham and Lychefeelde, Derby, Chestir forthel. Chesterfelde. and Yoorke, and forthe to the entre of þe dore of þe flood of Tyne, þe w^ch is clepid Tyneworþel. Tynemowthe., yn the norþe-weste plage of þus Ile.

Sithe hit is so þat (in) þe nexte Chapiture by-forne been dyscryed þe moste famous weyes of þus lond, hit is (not) disconuenient þat yn þis Chapiture be discryed the moste famous floodis of þis londe: the w^ch, as myn auctour seiþe, byn III; wherby fulle ner from alle-maner nacyouns Marchaundisis byn brouȝt yn schippis yn to the Ile. And þe floodis byn: Temse, Seuerne, and Hvmbyr; the whiche w^t þer longe havynes ebbynge & flowynge devydyn the III principalle provyncis of þis Ile as yn to III regnys, that is to say Loegrie, Cambrie, and Northehumbir∣lond. | The name of Temse yn latyn is Tamisia, þe w^ch is compownyd of II wordis, as Thama & Isa, and signyfyen II floodisMS. wordis., of the whiche Thama commythe rennynge by Dorcestir & fallithe yn to Ise; wherfore alle þe floode of his firste oryginales yn to þe see haþe hur name & is clepid Tamyse—the whiche coruptly in owre comyn speche we clepyn Temse. | Willelmus de pontificibȝ li.^o II^o seyþe þat Thamisia spryngythe owte of a lytylle welle be-syde Tewkysbury, & comythe rennynge by Oxforthe and Londone, and at Sandwiche poort fallithe yn to the see Estewarde, & XL myle paste London hit kepithe stylle the name Thamyse; and sum-tyme hit was þe terme & þe departicyoun of Kente, Est-sex, West-sex, and of Merces. | Seuerne, The secounde principalle floode of Brytavny, was sum∣tyme clepid Habren, of Habren, the dowghter of Ostrilde, whom Guendelena the quene drenklyd þer-In; But now hit is clepyd Sabryne...erg. by corrupcioun of the latyn.. This floode Seuerne spryngethe in the myddis of Walis, & rennyth downe Estward to Sherewysbyry, and fro þense hit turnythe Sowþe-warde on-to Brugges, Worsetur, Glowcestir, and at Brystowe hit ffallithe yn to þe westesee... | Hvmbir, the þryd princy∣palle floode of þis lle, tooke firste þe name of a kynge of þe Hunys hoos name was Humber, the w^ch was drynkelyd there(-in): þus floode rennyth firste crokydly as a bowe on the sowþe syde of Yoorke, and fro þense hit dystremythel. dystermynythe. & de∣partythe the provynce of Lyndeseye, þe w^ch longithel. longid. sum-tyme to Merces, fromþe remnant plage of Northehumbirlonde. This floode of Humbir is grettly encre∣cyd by Owse & Trente, þe w^ch bothe fallyn þer-in.

Owte of the Cytees, and amonge þe w^ch myne auctoure haþe a longe while been taryid & ocupyed, he returnythe his style ageyne to the cūnctrees, & begynnythe to tretyne ffirste of þe shiris of þis londe, & aftur of þe lawes yn þe nexte chapture folowynge. And as for þe firste, he markithe & notithe þat Eng∣londe conteynythe II and XXX^ti MS. XX^ti. shires or provincis, the w^ch at þis day byn clepid countees, except Cornewale & þe Ilis. And, as Alfrede markithe, þese byn þe namys: Kent, Sowthe-sex, Southerey, Hampshire, Barrocshire—The w^ch toke the name of (a) barre ook yn þe forest of Wyndeshore, whedir the provincialel. pro∣vincialis. were wone to comyn for alle-maner treeteys holdyne be-twix hem; Wylt-shire—the whiche sum-tyme was clepid provincia Seueriana; Somersete, Dorsete, Devyn∣shire. These IX provyncis of þe sowþe, as moche as Temse departithe hem from þe residue of Englonde, wherel. were. sum-tyme Jugyd w^t lawe þe w^ch was clepid West-saxenelega. But Est-sex, Middilsex, Sowþe-folke, Norwyche, Hertfordeshire, Huntyngdone-shire, Camebrigge-shire, Bedford-shire, Northehampton-shire, Bokyng∣ham-shire, Leycestir-shire, Derby-shire, Notyngham-shire, Lyncolne-shire, Yoorke∣shire, Duram-shire, Norþehumbirlonde-shire, Carlylle-shire, Appylby-shire Cum lat. Carlielshire cum Cumberlond, Appelbyshire cum Westmerlond. Cumbirlonde-shire, Westemerlonde-shire, Lancastir-shire, the w^ch conteynythe V smale shires: Thes forseyde XV shiris Este & Norþe were sum-tyme Jugyd by þe lawe clepid DanelagaMS. Danclaga.. But Oxenforde-shire, Warwyk-shire, Glowcestir-shire, Worcestyr∣shire, Herdeforde-shire, Shropshire, Stafforde-shire, & Chestureshire: The(s) Eyghte mydlonde-shiris and west-shiris were Jugid lege mercea. Lege mercea þat is þe marches lawe. Here is also to be notid þat þe provynce of Yoorke at þus day extendythe oonly froom þe bowe of Humbirflood to the flood of Teyse, and yet þer byne yn þat provynce XXII hundirdis. Hundredus & Tancredus boþe yn Englysshe and Walshe conteynythe an hundryd townys.... Durahamshire extendithe from the floode of Teyse to the flood of Tyne. Northehumbirlond-shire propirly takyn extendithe fro the floode of Tyne to the floode of Twede, where is þe begynnynge of Scotlonde. But, yef þe plage of Northehumbirlonde, þe w^ch was sum-tyme from Humbir to Twede, were cowntyd but for oo prouynce or counte, Than schulde þer been yn Englonde but II and XXX countees or shiris. & yf Northehumbirlonde plage be deuydid in to (þe) VI forseyde shiris, þat is to say yn to Yoorke-shire, Durham-shire, Norþehumburlonde-shire, Carlylle-shire, Appilby∣shire, & Lancastir-shire, Than ar þer yne Englond VI (& XXX) shiris &l. or. provyncys or countees, besyde Cornewayle and the Ilys. þe w^ch alle Willelmus conquestor made to be discryuyd & motynel. metyne? by hides & carte-whelis: and þere were fowndyne VI and XXX^ti Countees & an halffe, townys II and L thowsende and IIII-score, pary∣sche-cherchis V and L thousende and II, knyghtes-fees sexti thousende and XV, of þe whiche men of religyon hane eyghte and XX þowsende and XV. But now at these dayes woodis & waast placys arn smyte downe, stubbyd & broughte to tylthe; where-fore ther ben nowe many moo bothe cytees & townys then þer where yn that tyme.

Knowlege of lawis and of suche termys as been straunge and vsyd yn lawis, is nessessary to hem þat byn vndur þe lawis & nedis muste be gouernyd & rew∣lyd by þe lawis. This considerynge myn auctor Ranulphus Cistrens{is} in þis Chap∣ture shewythe compendiously what lawis hane succedid yn þis londe and whiche byn yet a-bydynge, & here auctours, w^t a bryf declaracioun of hur straunge ter∣mys; seyinge yn þis wyse. | The firste man þe w^ch made lawis yn Brytayne was Dunwallo Molmucius, whos lawys were clepid leges Molmutine: The w^ch were famouus & knowyne yn þus londe tylle Wylliam Conquerours tyme; a-monge þe w^ch lawis he ordeynyd, as hit is aforn seyde yn chapiture of grete hyghe∣weyes, þat cytees & templis & weyes ledynge to grete townys and þe plowis of tylmen schulde Joyine & haue þe privylegis of Inmunites. Aftur whom Mercia quene of þe Brutonys, þe wyffe of Quiteline the kynge, of whoom hit is opynid þat þe provynce of the Mercees toke þe name, made also a lawe fulle of dyscre∣cioun & rightwysnesse, the w^ch was clepid lex marcea. These toldMS. told st. tow = two. lawys Gildas þe cronicler translatyd out of Briton yn to latyne, and kynge Aluredus aftir∣ward translatid hit owte of latyn yn to Saxonye: þe whiche was clepid Merchine∣laga. And aftur þat þe seide kynge Aluredus addid þer-to the lawe Englyssh, and þis lawe was clepid Westesaxene-lega. But aftur þis, when þe Danys were lordes & rewlers yn þis londeMS. longe., was ordeynyd þe thrydde lawe, þe whiche was clepid Denelage. Of þese III lawis seynte Edwarde, þe Danys expellyd & ouer∣comyn, made one comyne lawe, þe w^ch yn to þis day is clepid Seynt Edwardes lawe. | And for as moche as yn þe seyde lawis been mony termys vsid straunge to vndurstonde, þer-fore I wille rehersyne hem here withe here exposicyons. Mundebryche: that is (to) sey on frensshe blesmure de honneire, on Englyshe hurte of worschepe. | Borughebriche isHier steht in rother schrift: Vide in fine libri; später aber ist die fehlende stelle u. a. rande ergänzt, und o. a. r. angem. m. d. w. vel hic in margine. [in frensche blesmure de court ou de cloys, In englische hurt of Court or of cloos. Grythebriche is brekynge of pees.] Myskennynge is variacioun or chaunge of speche in court. | Sheawynge is leyng forthe of marchaundise. | Hame-sokene or hamefare is a-sawte made yn an howse. Forstallynge is a coaccyoun or resistence made yn þe kyngis highe-weye. | FrytheMS. Foythe. sokne is diffence in Jurisdiccioun of l. or. ryghte. | In-fange the(f) pelsind inwarde, is a tachynge of a theef in propir cloos. | Saka is a couurt of Jurisdiccioun or righte | Soka is sewte of courte, and þer-of commyth a sookne. But sookne is sum∣tyme appelle of grette(r) audience. | Werke(l)thyffe is payment of skapynge of a theef. | The-am is to preysoun an auctour; & sum-tyme hit is clepid þe sequelle of bounde men. | Fylthwitel. fyhtwite. is a-mercyment for debate or stryffe. | Warde∣wyte is suerte of kepynge. | Blood-wyte is a-mercyment or amendis for shedynge of bloode. | Flythe-wyte is amendis for conteke. | Leyr-wyte is amendis for defowlynge of a bonde womman. | Gultwyte is amendis for trespaceMS. for to espace.. & hitl. Scot st. & hit. st. wapentak. is a colette of mony to the werke of the lordes bothis(!). | Danegelde is taliage yeuyn to the Danys, that is III pens of euery acre of londe. | Hydage is the taliage of plowlondis. | Wantepakl. Scot st. & hit. & hundred been alle one, and tancred. | But wantepak be-tokynithe to taken armys, ffor as moche as (in) euery hundrid in commynge of a newe lorde þe tenauntis were wone to offeryne vpe hure armys for an homage. | Lestage is a custum exact yn feyrys & merkatis. | Stallage is exactioun for stondynge yn the seyde placys.

Evene as in þo II Chapitris Inmediat by-forneMS. byforn̄. myne auctour haþe tretyd of dyuerys shiris of þus lond w^t here boundis & departicyouns, & of the lawis also of þus lond, & hur termys declaracyouns, so yne þis chaptre & yn the next folowynge he determynythe of the regnys of þus lond & hure dyuysiouns, and of the bysshopryches and of hure sees & hure Jurisdiccyonus. As towchynge the firste, he seithe þus: From the tyme þat Brut aftir þe batayle of Troye firste conquerid thus lond and was þe firste kynge þer-of, oon-to þe tyme of Julius Cesare con∣queste, þis londe stoode vndir þe MonarcheMS. Marg^ache st. monarche oder monarchie? of the Brytouns, not Interupt nor troublyd w^t-outen hem-selfe ner subiecte to non oþer londe ne lordeMS. londe. but to here owne soole kynge. But from Julius conquest on-to the tyme of Mariusl. Seuerus. consulle þis londe (was) subiecte and tributarye on-to Romayns, but not-for-than thei alle þat tyme haddyn kyngis of þer owne; and from þe tyme of þis Consulle Mariusl. Seuerus. on-to (þe) laste Gracianus, þe successioun of þe Brytouns fallynge & secynge, þe Romayns Regnyd yn þus lond. ‖ Aftur the whiche tyme, or for the lengthe of þe wey and grete laboure from Rome hedir or for þe (in)-Evitabille & Inporta∣bylle ocupacyouns oþur-weyes, þe Romayns leften to regne, & þen, aftur þat Maximus þe tiraunt had ledde awey w^t hym alle þe strenghthe of cheualrye of þis londe yn to Fraunce & hadde yne maner made hit empty & bare, þe Scottis & þe Pyctis longe tyme trowbylyd þis londe & vexid hit: tyl þat þe Saxsons, clypyd by þe Brytouns hedyr for to helpen hem, hed dryvyne hens þe kynge of Irlonde Gurmund withe his Pyctis and þe Brutouns also w^t hur kynge Careticus oute of Loegrie yne to Walis, þe w^ch þen was clepid Cambria. Þe w^ch doon, þe Saxouns, victorius of boþe peeplis, diuidid þe londe yn to VII kyngdamys, yche of hem hauynge a kynge w^t-yn hym-selfe. Þe whiche vndur kynge Athel∣stanus tornyd ageyne yn to oon monarchie. Neuer-þe-lees from þe tyme of Ethel∣wulphus to the tyme of seynt Edwarde þe III Danys troublyd & vexid þus londe grevously the tyme nere of an hundryd yere & seuynty: Off the whiche tyme XXX ȝere contynuelly þey reignyd yn thus londe hem-selfe. Aftur the whiche flemyd & distroyed, blessud Edwarde kynge & confessoure reignyd sole III & XX^ti yere and sum-what more. And aftur hym Herald held þe reigne but IX monthis: aftur whom þe Normandis helde þe reigne by conqueste; whos successioun yet reignythe. But how longe þey schulle contunyn, he allone knowythe to whom no þynge is vnknowyne. | And for as moche as here a lytyl be-forne is mencyoun made of þe dyvisioun of þis londe yn to VII reignys or kyndammys, me semythe hite is convenient sum-what to seyne compendyously of here boundis, and when þey begunnyn and when þay yndyd. | The ffirste kyngdame of the VII was þe kyngdam of Kente, whose boundys Est and Sowþe was þe see, and norþe∣warde Temse; where þe firste kynge was Hengistus, the w^ch began to reignyn abowte þe yere of owre lorde aftur Dionisius computacyoun IIII hundryd and V and fyfte, and hyt duryd III hundryd yere and sixti and IIIIl. VIII. vndur XV kyngis, aftur þe w^ch tyme Egbertus þe kynge of Westsex droof oute Baldred & Joyned that kyngdame to his & made oo kyngdam of bothyn. | The secounde kyngdame was Southesex, whoos boundus wern estward Kente, sowþe-warde the see and the Ile of Wyghte, from the west Hampshire, & one þe northe syde Southereye. | In thus kyngdame reigned firste Elle withe hys III sonnys III andl. in þe st. III and. XXX^ti yere aftur þe comynge of Saxouns in to þe londe. But hit dewryd noo while, for anon hit was translatyd yn to oþur kyngdomus. | The III kyngdame was Estsex, þe w^c boundid estwarde withe þe see, westward withe Londone, on þe sowþe side hauynge Temse, and on þe norþe-syde Suffolke; whose kyngis from þe firste, clepid Sabertus, tylle the Danys commyn, þe tyme of X kyngis were comounly subiecte to oþur kyngis, but moste ostyn & lengeste to þe kyngis of Merces, tylle þe kynge of (W)estsex Egbertus Joynyd hit & knyte to his kyngdame. | The IIII. kyngdam was clepid þe kyngedam of Estynglonde, þe w^ch comprehendid Norþefolke and Sowþe-folke; whos boundis been estwarde þe Est-see, & norþe∣ward the Norþe-see, northe-west Cāmebrygge-shire, fulle west seynt Edmundus dyche and Hertforde-shire, and on the sowþe syde Est-sex. And þis regne (duryd) XII kyngis tymys, Tyl þat seynt Edmunde þe kynge was slayne, aftur whos dethe the Danys vsurpid þe kyngdammys of Est-ynglonde and of Est-sex on-to the tyme þat, þey ouercommyne or dryvyn awey, kynge Edward þe eldre Joynyd þese II kyngdamys to his. | The V kyngdame was of West-sex, moste durable of alle; whose boundis wern Sowþesex est-warde, Temse norþewarde, sowþe & weste the occean. In þe w^c reigne Eredicusl. Cerdicus. w^t his sonnesc. Kynric. reignyd firste abowte þe yere of owre lorde aftir Dionys ffyve hundryd & nyntene, and aftir the commynge of Saxons or englysshe yn to þis londe seuynty & oon; and to þis kyngdame by processe of tyme were alle oþur kyngdamys vnyd & knyt. | The VI. Kyngdame was of þe Mercees, the largest of alle þe tothir kyngdammys of þus londe; whose boundis weste-wardde wern þe flood of Dea besyde Chestire, & Sabrina besyden Brystowe, Est the see, Sowþe Tempse-flood to London, Norþe-warde Humbirfloode MS. Humbirlonde. commynge downe .... bysyden þe horn of Wirhale, where hit fallythe yne to þe west-see. In þis cuntre reignyd firste Penda, þe sonne of WibbeMS. Wilbe., abowte þe yeres of oure lord aftir Dyonys countynge VI hundryd seuenty & Vlat. DCXXVI., and hit stoode vndur eyghten kynges abowte II hundryd yere sexty and IIII; whose laste kynge hyghte Godwolfl. Colwulf., whom þe Danys dreuyne owte and tokyne hit to þe kynge Boldred to kepyne. But afturward Edwarde þe eldere, kynge of Weste-sex, droofe oute þe Danys & knyt the kyngdame of Mercees to his kyngdame. And for as moche as þis kyngdame of Mercees was so grete & so large, yn þe be∣gynnynge þer-of hit was distincte and diuidid in to III partis, þat is to sey, In to þe este-Mercees, (in) to mydlond-Mercees, & in to west-Mercees. | The se∣vynte kyngdame was Norþehumbirlonde, þe w^ch haþe for his boundis Este & Weste þe occyon see, sowþe Humbir-flood, descendynge weste-warde by þe Marches of þe Countees of Notyngham & Derby evene to þe floode of Mersee; on þe norþe side the boundis is þe scottis see, þe w^ch yn scottyssh is clepid FortheMS. Forche., and yn Britoun speche Weryd. | This kyngdam was sum-tyme dyuydyd & de∣partid yn tylle II provyncis, where-of þe sowþe-provynce was clepid Deira and þe norþe-provynce Bernicia. The whiche II provyncis þe flood of Tyne dysseueryd and departid, and Humbire and þe scottysshe see boundyd hem sowþe & norþe...; and þese II provyncis were sum-tyme II kyngdamys and sum-tyme but oone. | In Deira reignyd ffirste Elle þe yere of grace V hundryd and IX and XL, and yn Bernicia regnyd Hyda II yere beforn Elle. | Thus II kyngdamys, sum-tyme diuidid & sum-tyme knyt and vnyd, RunneMS. and Runne. þe nowmbire of XX kyngis a-bowtyn IIl. III. hundryd yere and oone and XX^ti; aftir þe w^ch tyme Osbrutus and Elle þe nynte yere of hure reigne were slayne by the Danys, and eyghte yeere aftir the kyngdame of Norþehumbirlonde was kynglees. And aftir þat þe Danys Reynyd þer-yne VI and XXX^ti yere, on-to the monarchie of kynge Athelstan, þe w^c, vyctorye had of þe Danys, Wallanys and Scottis and here kyngis, sool and ffirste helde þe Monarchie of alle Englonde. And þat þe floode of Mercee de∣partid sum-tyme þe kyngdamys of Northehumbirlonde and of þe Mercees, hit may be provydMS. provydid. by þus skylle... Herry & Alfrid tellyne yn hure cronyclys that kynge Edwarde þe Eldere made a castelle at Mancester yn þe lond of Norþehumbirlonde, & Manchestir is vnnethe III myle fro þe flood of Mercee; wher-by hit folowithe þat þe seide floode boundythe to II provyncis or countrees.

Nexte aftur þe partycyoun & þe diuision of the temporalle rewle and gouer∣naunce of þus lond by kyngis yn the Chapture next by-forne, consequently yn thus Chapture my auctour determynythe of spiritualle policies of þus londe by bysshopes, and of hur sees and of þe boundis of hire Jurisdiccions. And ffirste, as at þe moste worþi, he begynnythe at þe Archebiss hopriches, seyinge on thus wyse. Erchebysshoppes sees þe tyme of Lucius, the firste crystoun Brytoun kynge, were III, þat is to sey: Londōne, Yoorke, and Caerhustl. Caer∣husc.—The whiche was þe Cyte of þe legiouns yn Glamorgan̄. To the w^ch III Archebysshopriches were subiecte eyghte and XX^ti Bysshopus, that tyme clepid fflemines. And þis was þe particyoun of þese III Bysshoperyches Jurisdiccioune: | To Londone obeyed Cornewayle & alle Loegrie one-to Humbyr, | To Yoorke longyd alle Norþehum∣birlond from þe bowe of Humbyre w^t alle Albayne, | And to Caerhust was subiecte alle Cambria, þe w^ch had that tyme seuyne bysshoppes subiecte to hit... And alle-be-hit þat seynt Gregory grawntyd to Londone þe privilege of Archebisshoppes dygnyte, yet seynt Austyne, whoom þe seide pope Gregory sent yn to Englonde, at þe gret Instaunce of his Ooste kynge Ethelberte & þe Cyteȝens of Cauntyr∣bury translatyd þe metropolytan see aftir the dethe of seynt Gregory to Caunter∣bury, where hit haþe byn from þat tyme hyþer-toward, saff þat yn þe mene tyme Offa, kynge of the Mersees, for as moche as þat he was offendid & grevid w^t the Cyte of Cauntirbury, tooke awey from hem þat dignyte of primacye & by favoure of pope Adrian, perauenture Inclynyd þrowe his desyre, yafMS. & yaf. the archebysshoppis palle to Aldulphe, þe bysshope of Lychefelde; þe w^ch vndur kynge Kenulfe was restoryd ageyne to Cauntirbury. | The secounde primacye enduryd alwey stylle from þe firste ordynaunce, saf oonly þat by processe of tyme Albayne went awey from þe subiectioun of Yoorke. | The III. dygnyte of primacye, the w^ch was at Caerhust, was translatyd from þense to Meneuye, the whiche stant at the weste yende of Sowthe-Walis vppon þe Irysshe see, vndir kynge Arthure þe tyme of seynt Dauyd. | From whose tyme IIIIl. III. and XX^ti heldyn þe metropolytan dyg∣nyte, but (þe) V and XX^ti, clepid Sampsoun, for drede of a syknesse þe whiche ran through alle Walis, tooke þe palle w^t hym & fleedde to Armoryke Brytayne and sat yn þe see of Dolense. Aftir þe whiche tyme werne at Meneuye by succes∣sioun oon and XX^ti bysshoppis þe w^c, or for slowthe or for penurye, wantyd þe palle, to the tyme of kynge Herry þe firste. Neuerþelees al þat tyme alle þe bysshoppis of Walis werne sacryd of þe bysshoppe Menence, and he of oone of Þe bysshoppis of Walis was also sacryd, no professioun ner subieccioun doon to noon oþer cherche. But alle þe successours aftur þat tyme, constreyneed by þe kyngis commaundement, receyven here consecracioun of þe archebysshope of Cauntyrbury and promyttyn hym obedyence. In tokyne where-of Bonifacius, the Archebysshope of Cauntirbury, þe tyme of kynge Herry the secounde thorughe auctorite of legacie in alle þe cathedralle-churches of Walis ffirst of alle seide a solemne masse by note. And so nowe yn Englonde byn but II Metropolitans, as Cauntirbury & Yoorke, & to Caunterbury ben subiecte XIII bysshopryches yn Englonde & IIII yn Walis. But Yoorke haþe but II vndir hym, as Durham and Carlille. Of the instituciounMS. instinccion. of the w^ch alle sum-what Breffly schalle be saide consequently be ordre for the more clere vndirstondynge of hem. | But ffirste hit is to be notyd þat, when þe churche firste be-gan to growyne yn Englonde, Þe bysshoppis desiryd to setten heer sees yn placis þe whiche wern but symple to the worldis reputacioun and yn so moche þe more apt & able to contemplacioun. | But yn þe tyme of William conqueroure was made a decre þat bysshoppis schuldyn to translatyne hur sees to Cytees. Where∣vpone Dorcestrens{is} was translatyd to Lyncolne, Lecchefelde to Chestyr, Thet∣forde to Norwyche, Schirburne to Salysbury, | Wellence to Bathe, Cornibiens{is} to Excetur, | and Selesiens{is}MS. Sekesiens{is}. to Chichestir, as hit schalle be seyde anoon yn þus same chapture. | The bysshope of Rowchestir, þe w^ch hathe non pariche propirly but is þe erchebysshopes chapleyne of Cawnturbury, from the begynnynge of his Institucioun by seynt Austyne yn to þis day chaungid (n)euere his see. | The bysshope of Chichestir, þe wiche haþe yn cure oonly Sowþe-sex and þe Ile of Wyghte, first had his see at Seleseye þe tyme of the Archebisshope Theodir, & þere hit enduryd from þe firste bysshoppe, Wylfride by name, III hundryd yere and III & XXX vndir XX bysshoppes, of the whiche XX bysshoppes Þe laste, Stigandus by name, at the commaundement of William conqueroure translatid his see to Chychestyre. | Hier beg. im Lat. ein neues cap. Weste-sex from þe firste Institucioun on-to þe tyme of þe archebysshope Theodir had but oo bysshope; of the whiche þe firste, Byrynus by name, by graunt of Kynge Elfl. Kyngelf; lat. Kyngislus., þe kynge of Weste-saxonyesl. Saxones., made his see atte (a) poore toun clepid Dorgester on þe sowþe syde of Oxenforde besyde Wallynforthe be-twix þe fallynge (to-gedir) of þo II floodis Tame and Ise; & when thus Birinus was dede, Kynge Kenwalk set þe cathedralle-see at Wynchestir, lyke as his fadir had sum-tyme purposid to haue done, | where oone Agilbertus, borne of Fraunce, was bysshope of alle Weste-sex. FromMS. form. the whiche tyme forthe þe owne of Dorgestur, where þe see was by-forne, perteyned & longyd to the pro∣vynce of þe Mersees... Lat. eo quod urbs illa sita sit infra Thamisiam qui fluvius disterminat Mercios a Westsaxonibus. from þe Weste-saxonus. Aftur the w^ch tyme when Agilber∣tus was dryvyne from his bysshopryche, an Englysshe man, Wyne by name, was bysshope aftir hym—Of whom sum sayene þat þe cyte Wenta was clepid Wyne∣chestir. But not-for-than yet was he put out, and aftir hym succedyd Lutherius, þe Neuew of the seyde Agilbert. Aftir whom a lytylle while was a bysshope þere clepid Hedia: aftur whose dethe Theodorus the archebysshope ordeynyd II by∣sshoppes in Weste-sex, oone clepid Danielle at Wynchestir, the whiche had Jurysdic∣cioun at Sowþe-reye & Sowþehampton̄, and anoþur clepid Aldelinus at Schirborne, to whom were subiecte VI shiris, as Barhok, Wylton̄, Somyrset, Dorcetre, Devyn∣shire, and Cornewayle. | But aftur-warde, þe tyme of Edwarde the eldere, to þese II were addid III oþer bysshoppes sees by þe decree of a pope clepid For∣mosus: that is to sey Welles{is}, to whom was assignyd Somyrset-shire, Cridience, w^ch had Devynshire, and Cornubiens{is} at seynt Patrocle or seynt Germyn, to whom longyd Cornuayle. And not longe aftur þus þe see was takyne from seynt Patroclys to ShirebourneLat. Nec multo post sexta sedes posita apud Ramysbury, cui subiacuit pagus Wilton.. But aftur-ward by the edict MS. educ. of William conquerour al MS. of. þese sees save Wynchestur were translatyd to grettire cytees; for Shirbourne and Ramysbourghe went to Salysbury, where-to byne subiecte in to þis day Baroke, Wiltoniens{is} & Dorgesterl. Dorset. shires. | The see of Wellens{is} went to Baþe, to the w^ch longythe Somersetshire. Cridience see and Cornubience wentyne to Excetur, whertoMS. wenty. longyne Devynshire and Cornewayle. | Hier im Lat. ein neues cap. As tochynge þe prouynce of Est-sex, from MS. form. the begynnynge yn to þis day hit was alwey obedienteMS. obedience. to þe bysshopes offe London. But þe provynce of Est-ynglonde, þe w^ch conteynythe Norþe-folke & Sowthe-folke, had firste but oon bysshope, whose name was Felix, þe w^ch kepte his sees XVII yere at Dunwyche; aftir whom oon clepid Thomas V yere; aftir whome Bonifacius XVII yere; aftur whom was oone clepid Bysy made by þe archebysshope Theodorus, þe w^ch gouernyd þe provynce allone as longe as helthe & myghte wolde let hym. But aftur his dayes II bysshoppes gouernyd þe provynce, one at Dunwyche, anoþur at Elagham, an MS. & st. an. hundryd yere and III and XL on-to þe tyme of Egbert, the kynge of West-sex. But aftir þe dayes of Ludekan hit turnyd ageyne to oone bysshope, whoos see was stylle at Elngham, on-(to) þe fifte yere of William Conqueroure, when oone clepid Her∣fastus, þe III and XX^ti bysshope of Est-ynglonde, translatyd his see to Thetforde; whoos successoure Herebertus Losinga by lycence of the kynge William Rufus translatyd hit forthe to Norwyche, where hit abydythe yet. | The see of Ely, þe w^ch lythe next þe see of Norwyche, kynge Herry þe firste ordeynyd þe nynte yere of his reygne. To þe w^c he leyde Caumbryge-shire þe whiche was be-forne a parte of the bysshopryche of Lyncolne; In recompense where-of þe same kynge yaf to (þe byshope of Lyncolne þe towne of Spaldynge).Fehlt im MS. Im Lat. folgt ein neues cap.—þe bysshopryches of þe Mersees. Here hit is dylygently to be notyd þat, lyke as þe Empire of þe Mersees was al-wey largyste for the tyme, | so hit was diuidid in to moo bysshopryches, & specially by þe grete manlynesse of herte of kynge Offa, þe whiche reynyd þere XL wynter: The w^ch kynge also translatid the Metropolytan dignite of Cauntyrbury to Lycchefeeld, as hit is seyde beforne. Neuerthelees yn the firste yeris of Cristondame, þe tyme of kynge Wolfayrey, Þer was but one bysshope yn the provyncis of Meersees and Lyndysseye, whoos see was at Lycchefelde. | The II firste werne Scottis, Duina and Celac; aftir whom þe III was Trunhere, the IIII Jarumanus, and þe V Cedde. And yn the tyme of kynge Ethelreed, þe broþur of þe seyde Wolfarye, aftir the dethe of Cedde þe erchebysshope Theodir substitute yn his place Wynfryde, his dekne. Whom aftir-warde by-cause of Inobedience he disposydl. deposyd. and maade þere bysshope oone Sexwolfe, þe abot of Medehanstede þe w^ch is nowe clepid de burgo. But aftir þe IIII yere of þus Sexwolfe Theodorus the archebysshope ordeynyd to Þe provynce of þe Mersees V bysshoppes: Bosel he set at Wourcestir, Cudwyn at Lycchefeld, þe seyde Sexwulf at Legegecester, ‖ nowe clepyd Chestir, Ethelwyn to Lyndesseye & sett his see at Sideneye, EatamMS. Batam. a monke of Whyteby to Dorcestre by-syde Oxenforthe þe whiche was clepid Dorkynga—and (so) þat see, Þe w^ch yn the tymee of Birinus longyd to West-sex, from þe tyme of þe Arche∣bysshope Theodir longyd to þe Mersees. But Sexwolfus, þe bysshope of Chestir, what tyme that Kent was ouercommyn and gretly wastid by kynge Etheldreed, made oon clepid Picta, bysshope of Rowchestir comynge owte of Kente, bysshoppe of Herforde. When Sexwolfe was dede, ‖ Hedda succedid at Lycchefelde, & Wylfryde, þe whiche longe had be flemyd owte of Norþehumbirlonde, was made bysshope of Chestir; and II yere aftir, when the kynge of Norþehumbirlonde Alfryde was dede, | Wylfryde turnyd ageyne to his propur see Hangustaldence, and so He(dda) ocupied boþe Lecchefelde and Chestir. Aftur whom succedid Albynus, the whiche was bysshope of WurcestireLat. Albinus (qui) et Wor. Aftir whom folowyd III: Coita at Chestir, Wytta at Lycchefelde, Eata beynge stylle at Dorchestur: whoos see aftir his dethe heldyn successyfly the bysshopes of Lyndesseye III hundryd yere and IIII and L, Tyl oone Remigius by lycence of William conqueroure translatyd his see to Lyn∣colne....|Im Lat. neues cap. At Yoorke was ffirste but oone see for alle Northehumbirlonde, þe w^ch Paulinus fyrste, ordeynyd by the Archebysshop of Cauntirbury clepid Justus, helde VII yere; aftir whiche tyme, þe kynge of Norþehumbirlonde Edwyne slayn and alle þe countre trowbelyd, Paulinus fled to Kent ageyne by watur and toke w^t hym his palle. And so þe see of Yoorke was voide XXX wyntir; but þe vse of Þe palle secyd aftur an hundryd yere and V and XX, tylle Egbert, bysshope and broþur of þe kynge of þe londe, recvryd hit ageyne by þe popis auctoryte. But yn þe mene tyme, seynt Oswalde the kynge regnynge yn Northehumbirlonde, Aidanus a Scott was bysshope yne Bernicia; aftur whom Finianus, and aftir hym Colmannus. The whiche, for as moche as Wylfridus vndirnam hym for the vnle∣fulle holdynge of the pascalle feste, hauynge Indignacioun þer-of lefte his cure & wente ageyne yn to Scotlonde: and so þe XXX yere aftir þat Paulinus was turnyd ageyne to Kent, Wilfridus was restooryd ageyne to Yoorke. But not-fore∣than, while Wilfride taryed a-bowtyne his confirmacioun yn Fraunce, Cedda, by þe assent of kynge Oswy, was takyne from his monasterye Lestingence and made bysshope of Yoorke. But III yere aftur by þe Archebysshope Theodyr Cedda was made bysshope of Meerces at Lycchefelde, and Wylfryde was restoryd to Yoorke. But yet aftir that he hed ben X yere yn his offyce, for certeyne stryvis be-twyx hym and the kynge Egfryde (he) was put owte ageyne by þe archebysshope Theodyr, corupt by þe kynge; and yn his place at Yorke was sete Bosa, Tumbert at Hangustaldens{is}, Eata ad Lindissarnence churche, the whiche is þe hooly neyloond yn þe floode of Twede—þe w^ch see Aidanus ffoundid firste, Aehede at Rypente churche, where Wilfryde was ffirste abbot, and TrunwinusMS. Grunwinus. was sent to þe londe of Pyctis yn to þe bordir of Englonde nyl. yn. a place clepid Casa candida or Whyt∣irne, where sanctus Ninianus was ffirste foundoure & doctoure. But alle þese sees by successioun of tyme faylyd & secyd. For þe see at Casa candida, The whiche þat tyme longyd to Englonde, duryd certeyne yeris vndur X bysshoppes, tylle be þe oppressioun of Pyctis hyt felle fro þe domynacioun ofMS. of of. Englysshe men. The sees at Hangastaldence & Lyndissarnence, þe whiche sum-tyme were II and sum-tyme but oone, duryd vndyr IX bysshoppes fulle nerr Nynty yere, tylle þe Danys commyn yn vndir Ynguar and Vbba, þe w^ch tyme Ardulphus þe bysshope wandryd abowtyne w^t seynt Cutberdys Bonys; tylle þat kynge Al∣uredus þe kynge of West-sex venquysshed þe Danys, and was þe see of Lindissar∣nence set at Kungester, Cvningisborughe, the whiche place is nowe clepid Hube∣forde vpone Twed. But aftur-warde the XVI yere of Egelredus, þe sunne of kynge Edgarus, þe see....

(f. 159: Cap. XV) and yaffe þe ovyr-comyne peple þe w^ch came w^t Rederyc þe norþeMS. nourþe norþe. parte of Albayne, þe whiche is clepid Cathenesye. The whiche peple wan∣tynge wyvis, for as moche as þei myghte non getyn of þe Brytoun nacioun, þei seylyd yn to Yrlonde and gat hem þere wyvys of þe Scottis, vpone þe condycyoun re∣hercyd by-forne. | Neuerþelees Seruius super Virgilium, as Girald remembrithe, clepithe þese Pictys Agatirsos, þe whiche haddyne firste hure dwellynge abowte þe marissche cuntree of Scicia; and he tellythe why þey ben clepid Pycti.... For þese Pycty, quod he, ben þe same pepille þe w^ch ben clepid Gothy. For when Maximus þe tyraunt went owte of Brytayne yn to Fraunce for to occupyen þe empere, and toke w^t hym alle þe chevalrye of Brytayne, Gracianus and Valen∣tinianus, brethryne, holdynge to-gedure þe empere, sentyn þese peple of Gothis as men welle expert in armys from þe marchis off Scicia yn to þe northe partis of Brytayne, for to vexyne þe Brytouns, | The w^ch by þe forsayde tyrant Maximus were made nakyd & bare of men of armys. And so þey, of pillers and predons made Man&yonarijs & dwellers, vsurpyd stylle þe same parte of Brytayne. | And Gaufrid yn þis matere seithe that Caraucius the tiraunt by gyle and disseite of þe Pyctis þe w^ch were comyne to helpyne Bassyan, slow Bassian, where-fore þe seide Caraucius for hure rewarde yaf þe Pyctis a dwellynge-place in Albayne; where medlyd w^t the Brutouns þey lyvyd longe yeris. | And yn as myche as þe Pyctis had occupied, as hit is saide be-forne, ffirste þe norþe partis of Albayne, hit semythe þat þe dewellynge-place þe whiche Caraucius yaffe to the Pictys was þe sowþe parte of Albayne from þe walle of þe Romayns werke ovyr-thwert to the scottyss he see, In þe whiche parte is conteynyd Galoweye and Londeneye ... | But aftir, whan þe Saxouns comyne, they made thus parte of grounde to long∣yne one-to þe Norþe-humbirlonde in the placel. province st. in the place. þe w^ch is calde Bernicia, tylle þat Linadiusl. Kinadius. Alpins sonne, kynge of the Scottis, distroyed þe Pyctis, & þe terry∣torye the w^ch is be-twix Twede & the scottysshe see, he annectyd to his kyng∣dam. ‖ And, as Bede seith li.^o I^o, by processe of tyme Scottis vndur Duke R(e)uda, goynge oute of Yrlonde þe whiche propirly is þe Scottis londe, or by ffrenschippe or by swerd gatte hem a dwellynge-place by-syde þe Pyctys ate the norþe place of the bosum of þe see þe whiche from þe weste brekythe vpp̄e a longe wey in to the londe and sum-tyme hit departythel. departyd. the Brytouns from the Pictis; of þe w^ch Duke Reuda the Scottis were clepid Dalreudini... And thus Scottis aftur the (Britouns &) Pyctis addyd the III^de peple yn Brytayne. | But aftur-warde Saxouns, clepid yn by þe Brytouns to helpyne hem a-ȝenst þe Scottis and þe Pyctys, dryvyne þe Brytouns in to Cambriam and occupyenge þe londe by lytylle and be lytylle and dylatynge hure boundis on-to þe schottysche see, madyne þe fourthe peple of dwellers yn þís Ile. ‖ And for as moche. quod Beda li.^o 5^o Cap. 9^o, That Angli or Saxones the whiche þan dwellyd here, haddyn hur orygenalleMS. orynenalle. bygynnynge of Germanye, of þe w^ch Saxonye is parte, the Brytouns þe w^ch dwellyd neere hem clepid hem Germayns. Neuer-þelees abowte þe yere of grace VIIIMS. XVIII. hundryd Egbert þe kynge of Weste-sex chargyd þat alle þe dwellers w^t-yn the londe schulde been callyd Angly, that is to say Englyssh men. | But aftur Danys neere II hundryd yere, from the tyme of þe seyde Egbert on-to þe tyme of seynt Edwarde, oppressynge thus lond and kepynge hit vndur grete subieccioun, maden þe V. newe peple yne þis Ile. | But they aftirward faylled anoon & were distroyed. Aftir þe w^ch tyme sōne, by duke William Ynglonde put yn subieccioun, þe Normannys rewlyd þis lond, & yett don, þe w^ch made the VI. nacioun inhabitynge thus londe. | Flemy(n)ggis also a grete nowmbre þe tyme of the firste Harry aryvynge at Mail∣ros, tooke hure dwellynge for a lytylle tyme at þe Est placel. plage. of Englonde and made (þe) VII. peeple yn þus yle. | Neuerþelees at the seide Herryis commaund∣ment þey were translatid on-to þe weste ynde of Walis & set þat Havyn-fortheþat = at. MS. havyn forthe st. Haverford.. And so now at þus dayes, þe Pyctis & þe Danys vttirly distroyed, Brytayne is oonly Inhabyted w^t þese V naciouns, as w^t Scottis yn Albayne, w^t Britouns yn Cambria or yn Walys, w^t Flemmynges yn West-Walis, w^t Normannys & Eng∣lysshe men myxte and medlyd yn alle þe Ile aftirTilge aftir?. | And for as moche as noo cronycleere dowtythe how & by w^ch & when þe Danys &ecyd & were dystroyed yn þus lond, I passe ouyr for to tellyn hit here, and compendiously wylle tellyn howe þe Pyctis madyr an ende. ‖ Hit felle vpon a tyme, when the Saxouns occupyed þus lond and stabylle pees was made by-twyx hem and the Pictys, þe Scottis, þe w^ch comyn In Joynyd to the Pyctis, seyinge the Pictys, alle-be-hit þat þey of nounbre were fewere þen þey, yet yne manhode & armys þat þey were more famous þen þey: ‖ Anon þey envyed hem & ranne to hur custumable & cotidian armvre and as to here kyndely consuetude, prodicyoun, where-yn amonge alle nacyouns þey hane a syngulere preminence, & þat oone þis wise. | They clepyd oo tyme oone-to a feste alle the grette & manly men and men of worshippe of þe Pyctis; þe w^ch alle sette at mete next þe deys vp-on fayre hyghe benchis, þe bordus alaste where-of were so ordeyned þat w^t drawynge owte of a fewe certayne pynnys on the bake halfe þey schulde sodenly fallyn downe yn to the benchis botyne. ‖ And so when at mete þey semyd moste mery, sodenly þe pynnys wern drawyn out and þey fyllen yn to þe hoole of the benche evyne to þe hammys; & forthe-w^t þe Scottis fylle vpon hem and slowe esche modris sonne. | And þis of þese II peeplys þe manlyere was fully distroyed & vanysshed a-wey, and þe more cowardly peple occupied þe Pictis londe & clepid hit aftur hur name Scotlond; þe w^ch þei possedyn yet in to þis day....

As towchynge þe firste parte of þis chapiture, hit is to been vndirstondyn that, as mony dyuerys peeples as hit haþe dwellers, so many hit haþe dyuersites of toungis and languagis. Nerþelees they been not alle pure, but sum ben mixte & medlid MS. medlis st. medlid on sundry wysys. Scottis & Walsshmen, þe w^ch ben the Brytouns propirly, as peeple moste ynpermyxt & leste medlyd MS. medlis st. medlid w^t oþer kepyne moste puerly hire firste propir speche or language. Nerþelees Scottys, of grete famulearyte & commvnycacyoun w^t þe Pyctis, sum-what hane drawyn and Medyllynge(!) in hur toungis. | The Flemmynges, þe w^ch as hit is seide beforn, dwellyn yn þe weste marche of Walis, hane left here Rude barbarye & spekyne more saxoonly or englysshely. | Angli, alle-be-hit þat from the firste begynnynge, aftir þe III dyuersytees of peeplis of Germayne þe whiche they comyne of, (þei) hadyn III dyuer∣sites of sowndyngis yn hure language and yn þe III dyuerys places, as Sowþe, Norþe, & Mydlonde, yet of commyxtioun dyuers firste (with) Danys & sethe w^t Normannys they hane corrupte her first natif toungis and vsyn now Ine wot what straunge and pilgryms blaberynge & cheterynge, noþynge a-cordynge on-to here firste speche. And þis corrupcioun of englysshe men yn þer modre-tounge, be∣gunne, as I seyde, w^t famylyar commixtion of Danys firste & of Normannys aftir, toke grete augmentacioun & encrees aftir þe commynge of William conqueroure by II thyngis. | The firste was: by decre and ordynaunce of þe seide William conquerour children in gramer-scolis ageyns þe consuetude & þe custom of alle oþer nacyons, here owneMS, owre. modre-tonge lafte MS. laste st. lafte. & forsakyne, lernyd here Donet on frenssh & to construyn yn ffrenssh and to maken here latyns on þe same wyse. | The secounde cause was þat by þe same decre lordis sonys & alle nobylle & worthy mennys children were fyrste set to lyrnyn & speken ffrenssh, or þan þey cowde spekyne ynglyssh, and þat alle wrytyngis and endentyngis & alle-maner plees and contrauercyes inMS. & st. in. courtis of the lawe, & alle-maner Reknȳngis & countis yn hows-oolde schulle be doon yn the sameor—same zusatz., And þis seeynge, þe rurales, þat þey myghte semyn þe more worschipfulle and honorable & þe redyliere comyn to þe famyliarite of þe worthy & þe grete, leftyn hure modre-tounge & labouryd to kūnne spekyne ffrenss he; and and—Englyssh Zusatz. thus by processe of tyme barbariȝid thei in bothyn & spokyne neythyr good ffrenssh nor good Englyssh... And yet yn þe Saxoyne or Englyssh tounge, þe whiche is remaynyd but in a fewe vplondyssh peeple, þe oryentalis, þat is to sayne þe Est-ynglyssh men, (with þe men of þe west acordyn more)Fehlt im MS. yn soundynge & spekynge, as men þat ben vndir oone lyneal climat of hevene, þan don þe northen (with þe sowthern)Fehlt im MS. men. | Also the Meerces, þe w^ch byn clepid mydlonde-ynglyssh, as collateralle par∣teners of bothyn extremytes, bettir vndirstondyn þe collateralle tounges, bothe the artyke þe w^ch is þe northe, & þe antartyke þe w^ch is þe sowthe, þan þe II extremal toungis vndirstondyn hemself to-gedir or þan eyþer vndyrstondithe other. For, as William pontyficis (!) seith li.^o 3^o: The norþehumbirlonde pepelis tonge, specially yne Yorke, stradelithe soo brode & so vnsavorly is wyde, þat þe fowtherne peple vnnethe can vndirstondyn hit. And þat is, as he supposithe, for oone of þe II causis, þat (is)is fehlt., or for þe nyghenesse on-to the Scottis or for þe grete distaunce of kyngis of þe londe from þo marchis; The whiche byn more wone to be conuersaunte yn þe sowþe place of Ynglond þan yn þe norþe, ffor comynly þey drawe not norþe-warde butt yn stronge hand, oror—countre zusatz. ageyns the Scottis or for to reforme and redresse ryot and mysrewle of the same countre. | The cause why þat kyngis be more expectant & abydynge yn the sowþe þan In the norþe, may welle be þus: ffor þere, þat is to say by sowþe, þe erþe is more plen∣tyvous, and þe peple more copious, þe cytees and townys more worþi & hono∣rable, and þe portis or the hauenys more commodious & more profitable.— | Im lat. neues cap. Now I haue declaryd yn þe foorme parte of þe chapiture, of myn auctour þe laste and (on)and st. but? on fehlt., þe dyuersitees of tounges & languages of the dwellers of þis londe, ffynally nowe is to be declaryd & shewyd what my seide auctour seithe & wry∣tithe of the condicions and maners of hem þat ynhabytyne & dwellyn yn þus londe. | And for as moche as of scottissh & þe walssh peples maners, þe whiche ben leste myxte & medlyd, as hit is seide be-forne, sum-what ys tolde yn dyuerys Chapitres: Therfore here, quod he, schalle woonly be spokyne of the condicions & þe maneris of þe myxte and medlyd peple of þus londe. And firste of the Flemmyngis, þe whiche, as hit is seide, dwellyne at þe west ende of Walis: The w^ch by famuliar Communycacioun & conuersacioun been as Englyssh men. | Thes peeple, quod Ranulphus, is stronge peeple and myghti, & hathe been sum-tyme yn conflycte of batelle to walssh men righteMS. and righte. comorous & vn-esy. | Thus peple is moste vsyd & excercisid in cloþe makynge & fellynge, & alle-wey prompte & redy to puttyne hem to þe aventires of alle perylys, boþe by londe and by watir, ffor lucre & encrees, and as tyme & place requirythe boþe redy to the plowhe & to armys. | And oo wondirfulle þynge is seide of þis peple: þat þey yn þe ryghte spatulys or shuldrys of a sheepe, þat is to sey a weedir, madeMS. make. bare of fflesshe, aftur that hit hathe been sothyn but not roste, kune be-holdyn & seen þerMS. þe. bothe thyngis paste, presente & þo þat been to come. | And also by a maner of pro∣phicie or diuinacioun by a mervelous crafte þey declaryn the tooknys of pees and werre, þe state of lordus & londis, of reignys & kynges, of manslaughtres, of advoutryes, by serteyn signys of spottis (&) runyngisMS. rūygis; l. rimis? of þe seid bōne, þe w^ch is wondirfulle to wetyn. | The residue peple of ynglyssh men inhabetynge Loe∣grie, as an insulan peple ferre run from hur ffirste institucioun, by hire propir mocyoun inward w^t-owtyn ony straunge or foreyn styrynge owtewarde is redely and sone mevid to contrarye þyngis, þat is to seyne, now to willyn O certeyn þynge, & w^t-owtyn ony grete abydynge or taryinge, þat wille forsakyn, to wyllyn evyn þe contrary. | In so moche þat þey been euer ynpacient of reste, loueris of solicitude & bysynesse, & lothyn alle ese & ydelnesse. | In so moche, as seiþe William de pondficibȝ li.^o 3^o, That when þey hane vttirly depressid hur outward enmyes, þey brosyn eche oþur & faryn lyke an empty stomake þe whiche wirkythe vpon hit-selfe. ‖ But not-for-than þe peple of þe sowþe place is more quyete yn þem-self & more softe þan is þe norþe place peple, þe w^ch is euer-more In∣quiete, more mevable & more cruelle. | The mydlonde peple is be-twix þe nor∣þyn & þe sowþirne, as is a participle bee-twix Nowne & Verbe, þat is to sey hit is a partyner w^t bothyn. | Also, quod he, þe ynglysshe peeple amonge alle oþur nacyouns is syngulerly yevyn to gloteny and dronkynshipe, & moste sumpteous and wastefulle yn mete and drynke & cloþus. | This MS. The vyce hit is supposid þat þis londe drowh firste of Hardeknut the Dane, þe whiche was þe firste kynge yn þis londe þat commaundid messe of mete to be sette on his Tablee at sowpeer. | This peeple, quod he, is delyvyr & swyfte boþe on foote & also on hors-backe, apt & promte to alle-maner kynde of armys, and yn euery congresse & conflicte yn batylle is commynly wone, lesse þen tresoun or fraude & gyle goo vndir, to haue þe ouyr-honde and þe victorye. | Thes peeple—& principally of þe norþe placeZusatz—is wondur coryous & besy to knowyn and to tellyn tydyngis & noveltees & merveylles syche as þey hane herde or seyen, prompt to sekyn oþur cuntres, seldoun ryche yn hure propir soyle, more happe in ferre & foreyne cuntrees þan yn hure owne cuntree, and kunne betture purchasyn new þyngis owtewarde þen kepyne here owne hereditable þyngis at hoom; ffor þe w^c cause þey lyghtly wyllyn be disperbylde yn to straunge cuntrees. | This peeple is also apt and redy to euery dede & manhode; | and aforne þat þey schuln oughte doo, in∣portune þey byn and fulle hardy, But aftir þe dede bettir avysid and more avesy; ‖ and therfore þey lyghtly willyn forsake þat þey hane be-gunne. And for þis cause hit is þat pope Eugenye seide ynglyssh peeple to been apte & able to euery thynge what-so-euyre they wolde, and worþi to be preferryd be-forne alle othur peeplys, ne were þe lyghtnesse of hur hertis and the hasty changeablenesse of hur wylle; and lyke as Hannybal seyde Romaynes myght nevir been ouyr∣comyne but yn hure owne cuntre, Ryghte so þe Englyssh peeple, quod he, the whiche yn straunge & foreyne countrees been ynvyncible, in hur owne seetes ben moste esy to ouer-comyne. | This peple sone lothithe and lakkithe hur owne þyngis &MS. & preythe & preysythe preysythe & commendythe oþur mennys thyngis, vnnethe ony tyme content w^t þe degre of hure owne estate, and suche þyngis as longithe to oþur men þey gladly wyllyne transfyguryn yn MS. yn yn hem-self. For a yeman wylle takyne vpone hym þat longithe to a squyeere, A squyeer that longith to a knyghte, A knyghte that longithe to an Erle, | And an Erle þat longithe to a duke, ‖ A duke þat longyþe to a kynge. | And this þey serclyn abowten euery kynde & þey byn yn no kynde, but þey attamyn & assayen euery ordir & þey byn yn non ordyr. | For yn hur apporte of araye they byn dysgysid as treiectours or myn∣strals. | In commynycacioun & talkynge þey byn Cicerones, þat is to say as elo∣quent & as gay yn speche as was þat grete Rethoryan Marcus Tullius Cicero. In etynge and drynkynge they byne Nebulones, that is to say glotonys. ‖ In sub∣tylle getynge they been CavponesMS. Carpones, a. r. cavpones., that is to say tauerners: for lyke as tauerners medlyn watur w^t wyne yn vttryngeMS. vt vttrynge. of hure wyne, so þese folke medlyn falsheed w^t trewþe yn hure bargaynynge. | In hur cloþynge þey been Tirones, þat is to sey as new-made knyghtes. | In here lucrys & wynnyngis they byn Argi, þat is to seyne as circumspect & as ware as was Argus þe w^ch, as seyþe þe poete, had an hundryd eyne. | In labours þey byn as dulle as was Tantalus. | In courtisl. curis. & offyces they ben as crafty and as subtylle as was Dedalus. In hur beddys and yn hur cowchis þey byn as dyslauyDass. wort in d. Leg. & lecherous as was Sardanapallus. | In templis and yn churches as dowme & as vnmevable as ymagis or similacris. | In courtis & plees þey ben as lowde as thundir-clappis. | And yne that only they knowlechyn hem-self clerkis þat þey hane multitude of priuylegis & pre∣bendis. | And vniuersaly in alle Englyssh men so moche is growyne and customyd þe variable & þe vnstable chaunge of cloþyngis & þe monyfolde dyuersitees of aray, þat yche of hem as now adayes semythe for to been Newtur gendur, þat is to say ofMS. þat st. of. yche oþer nacyoun þen of his owne.Derselbe vorwurf in Shakesp. Merch. of Ven. I, 2. Of þe w^ch thynge prophecied onys an holy recluse or an anchorite þe tyme of kynge Egilredus, as seiþ Henricus li.^o 6., seyinge on þis wyse: For as moche as ynglyssh men been yovyn to prodicioun, to drounkynshipe, and to neclygence of goddis howse, they schulle be thries conquerid and born downe & put vndir: ‖ ffirste, quod he, by Danys, | The secounde tyme by Normaundus, | And þe þryde tyme by Scottis, whom they hane yn leste reputacioun; ‖ and yn so moche schalle than þe worlde be variant & vnstabulle, þat þe variaunce & þe vnstablenes of mennys hertis and soulys schalle mone beMS. & be. notid & markyd by þe mony-folde variaunce & dyuer∣fitees of mennys cloþis. Hec Policronica li.^o I. Cap. finali.

Me semythe þat hit is my parte, aftir þes lytylle & shorte treteys drawyn & abstract out of anoþur mannys longe & laboryous werke, to preyen and lowly to besechyn yche man þat schalle be redere or herere þer-of of III þyngis yn aspecialle. First þat þey wille vouchesauffe to supporte me, alle-be-hit þat þis seyde tretis be not so convenyently nor so eloquently expressid & spokyn yn englyssh toūnge as þe excellence of þe auctours latyn stile requirithe. | For, certenly, þe natyff rudnesseMS. in rudnesse. of my modur-tounge hathe so inflectyd & cankeryd my speche ∧ my language w^t þe barbarisme of þe soyle þe w^ch I haue be fostryd & brought forthe yn of youthe, þat y neyþer may ner can oþer þynge vttrryn ne shewyne þen hit hathe been vsyd & acustomyd to, | Aftir þe sentence of Oracius þe poet, seyinge on þis wyse: | versus:

ThatIn MS. fabche init. is to sey: syche savour as þe newe shelle takithe when hit is eldder hit kepythe. And þe woldest. olde. prouerbe seithe: custome & vse is a noþer nature or kynde. ‖ The secounde þynge þe w^ch I be-seche my reder of or þe herere, is þis, þat, yn case in þus libelle, þe w^ch me semythe may conveniently ben clepid Mappula Anglie, ony þynge be tolde or saide that may not evydently be provyd for trouthe, þat þey vouchesaffe to perdowne me þer-of. | For, lyke as I haue saide beforn in dyueris chapitures: I of no þynge seyde þere-yn chalenge ne de∣sire to be holdyn neythur auctour ne assertour, ne wylle aske no more but to byn holdyn oonly the pore compilatour & owte of latyne in to ynglyssh the rude & symple translatour, sauf also þe connexiouns of þe chapitures, whose capitalle lettrys expressyn the compilatours name. | The III. þynge & the laste of my desire yn thus mater is þis, þat, yn caas þe redere or þe herer of þis seyde tree∣tys fynde þere-yn ony þynge þe w^ch may plesyn or delytyn hym, techyn hym or remembryn hym, for the guerdoun and þe rewarde of my lytylle parte yn þus seydee treetis he wouche-saffe for charyte to sey for me þe shorte preyinge com∣prehendid yn þe II versis nexte folowynge, The w^ch I hope may be to me so∣lacius & profitable and to the seyere neyþer onerous ner chargeable. ‖ The prey∣oure breeffly is thus folowynge: