THE TWELFE CHAPTER.
Now, forsomuch as it pleased God by his hid and secret iudgement so to dispose the realme of England, and in such wise, as that the gouernance thereof should fall after this maner into the hands of William duke of Normandie, I haue thought good before I enter further into this historie (being now come to the conquest of the realme, made by the foresaid duke of Normandie) to set downe his pedegrée, thereby to shew how he descended from the first duke of that countrie, who was named Rollo, and after by receiving baptisme called Robert.
The said Rollo or Rou, was sonne to a great lord in Denmarke called Guion, who hauing two sons, the said Rou and Gourin, and being appointed to depart the countrie, as the lots fell to him and other (according to the maner there vsed, in time when their people were increased to a greater number than the countrie was able to susteine) refused to obeie that order, and made warre there against the king, who yet in the end by practise found meanes to slea the foresaid Guion, and his sonne Gourin; so that Rou or Rollo, hauing thus lost his father and brother, was compelled to forsake the countrie, with all those that had holpe his father to make warre against the king. Thus driuen to séeke aduentures, at length he became a christian, and was created duke of Normandie, by gift of Charles king of France, surnamed le Simple, whose daughter the ladie Gilla he also maried: but she departing this life without issue, he maried Popée daughter to the earle of Bessin and Baileux, whome he had kept as his wife before he was baptised, and had by hir a sonne named William Longespée, and a daughter named Gerlota.
William Longespée or Longaspata, had to wife the ladie Sporta, daughter to Hubert earle of Senlis, by whome he had issue Richard the second of that name duke of Normardie, who married the ladie Agnes, the daughter of Hugh le grand, earle of Paris, of whome no issue procéeded: but after hir deceasse, he maried to his second wife a gentlewoman named Gonnor, daughter to a knight of the Danish line, by whom he had thrée Ye must note that there was one Richard duke of Normandie before Rollo. sonnes, Richard that was after duke of Normandie, the third of that name, Robert and Mauger. He had also by hir three daughters, Agnes otherwise called Emma, married first to Egelred king of England, and after to K. Cnute: Helloie, otherwise Alix, bestowed vpon Geffrey earle of Britaine: and Mawd coupled in marriage with Euldes earle of Charters and Blais. Richard the third of that name maried Iudith, sister to Geffrey earle of Britaine, by whome he had issue thrée sonnes, Richard, Robert, and William, and as manie daughters: Alix, married to Reignold earle of Burgogne, Elenor married to Baldwine earle of Flanders; and the third died yoong, being affianced to Alfonse king of Nauarre. Their mother deceassed after she had beene married ten yéeres, and then duke Richard married secondlie the ladie Estric, sister to Cnute king of England and Denmarke, from whome he purchased to be diuorsed, and then married a gentlewoman called Pauie, by whome he had issue two sonnes, William earle of Arques, and Mauger archbishop of Rouen.
Richard the fourth of that name, duke of Normandie, eldest sonne to Richard the third, died without issue, and then his brother Robert succéeded in the estate, which Robert begat vpon Arlete or Harleuina daughter to a burgesse of Felais, William surnamed the bastard, afterward duke of Normandie, and by conquest king of England. Of whose father duke Robert, & his paramour Arlete, take this pleasant remembrance for a refection after the perusing of the former sad and sober discourses.
Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1.
Ranulph. lib. 6. cap. 19. In the yéere of Christ 1030, Robert, the second sonne of Richard the second duke of Normandie, and brother to Richard the third duke of that name there hauing with great honour and wisedome gouerned his dukedome seuen yéeres, for performance of a penance that he had set to himselfe, appointed a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; leauing behind him this William a Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1.
Ranulph. lib. 6. cap. 19. yoong prince, whome seuen yéeres before he had begotten vpon his paramour Arlete (whom after he held as his wife) with whose beautifull fauour, louelie grace and presence, at hir dansing on a time then as he was tenderlie touched, for familiar vtterance of his mind what he had further to say, would néeds that night she should be his bedfellow, who else as wiuelesse should haue lien alone: where when she was bestowed, thinking that if she should haue laid hir selfe naked, it might haue séemed not so maidenlie a part: so when the duke was about (as the maner is) to haue lift vp hir linnen, she in an humble modestie staid Ran. li. 6 ca. 19. hir lords hand, and rent downe hir smocke asunder, from the collar to the verie skirt. Heereat the duke all smiling did aske hir what thereby she ment? In great lowlines, with a feate question she answerd againe; "My lord, were it méet that any part of my garments dependant about me downeward, should presume to be mountant to my souereignes mouth vpward? Let your grace pardon me." He liked hir answer: and so and so foorth for that time.
Wil. Malm.
lib. 3 cap. 1.
Ran. ibid. This duke before his voiage, calling at Fiscam all his nobilitie vnto him, caused them to sweare fealtie vnto his yoong sonne William, whome he then at his iournie betooke vnto the gouernance of earle Gilbert, and the defense of the gouernour vnto Henrie the French king. So Robert passing foorth in his pilgrimage, shewed in euerie place and in all
Ran. ibid. points a magnanimitie and honour of a right noble prince, and pleasant withall; who once in Iurie not well at ease, in a litter was borne toward Ierusalem vpon Saracens shoulders, & méeting with a subiect of his that was going home toward Normandie: Friend (quoth he) if my people at thy returne aske after me, tell them that thou sawest their Ran. ibid.
Wil. Mal. idem.
Ran. idem. lord carried to heauen by diuels. The Norman nobilitie during duke Roberts life, did their dutie to the yoong prince faithfullie, but after they heard of his fathers death, they slackened apace, euerie one shifting for himselfe as he list, without anie regard either of oth or obedience toward the pupill their souereigne. Whereby not manie yéeres after, as Gilbert the gouernour, by Rafe the childes coosine germane, was slaine; the dukedome anon, by murther and fighting among themselues was sore troubled in all parts. Thus much a little of duke Robert the father, and of prince William his sonne for part of his tender yéeres.
A notable aduertisement touching the summe of all the foresaid historie, wherin the foure
great and notable conquests of this land are brieflie touched, being a
conclusion introductorie, as is said in the argument.
In the former part of this historie it is manifest to the heedful Britaine inhabited by Brute. reader, that (after the opinion of most writers) Brute did first inhabit this land; and called it then after his owne name, Britaine, in the yéere after the creation of the world 2855, and in the yéere before the incarnation of Christ 1108. ¶ Furthermore the said land of Britaine 1 Britaine conquered by the Romans. was conquered by C. Iulius Cesar, and made tributarie to the Romans in the 50 yéere before the natiuitie of Christ, and so continued 483 yéeres. So that the Britains reigned without tribute and vnder tribute, from Brute, vntill the fourth yeere of the reigne of king Cadwalladar, which was in the yéere of our Lord 686. And so the Britains had continuance of the gouernement of this land the space of 1794 yéeres. Then was the realme of Britaine an heptarchie, that is, diuided into seuen kingdoms. And Britaine receiued the faith of Christ in the 7 2 Britaine conquered and ouercome by the Saxons. yéere of the reigne of king Lucius, which was in the 187 yéere after the birth of Christ. ¶ Next after the Britains entered the Saxons, in the third yéere of king Vortiger; and in the yéere of our Lord 450, and they gouerned vntill the last yéere of king Athelstane, which was in the yéere of Christ 938. So that the time of the Saxons first entrance into this realme, and the time of their regiment was the space of 487 yéeres. ¶ Howbeit, in the time of their gouernement, that is to say, in the 9 yéere of king Britricus, which was in the yéere of our Lord 387, 3 Britaine conquered and ouercome by the Danes. the Danes entred into this land, spoiling and persecuting the people therin most gréeuouslie. At the last, Sweno or Swaine the Dane obteined possession roiall, in the yéere of Grace 1012, whose time of regiment lasted about three yéeres. After whom his sonne Canutus succeeded, and reigned 19 yéeres. After him Harold his sonne, who ruled thrée yeeres: and after him Hardicnute the sonne of Canutus, whose gouernement continued but thrée yeeres. This Hardicnute was the last king of the Danes, at which time the Danes were expelled and hunted out of the realme, which was in the yéere of our Lord 1042. So that it may appeare by this collection, that the Danes ruled as kings in this land by the space of 28 yéeres. Hereby also it is euident, that from the time of the first entrance of the Danes into this realme, vntill their last
4 Britaine conquered and possessed by the Normans. expulsion & riddance, was 255 yéeres. ¶ Finallie the Normans entred this land likewise, and conquered the same as before is expressed, in the yéere of our Lord 1067, which is since, vntill this present yéere of our Lord 1585, drawing néere to the number of 600 and od yéeres.
Now let these alterations of regiments be remembred [touching the which read a notable animaduersion in the description of Britaine, pag. 49, 50, 51] and teach vs that therein the iudgements of God reuealed themselues to speciall purposes. And whatsoeuer hath béene mentioned before, either concerning the subuersion of people, the desolation of prouinces, the ouerthrow of nobles, the ruine of princes, and other lamentable accidents diuerslie happening vpon sundrie occasions; let vs (I say) as manie as will reape fruit by the reading of chronicles, imagine the matters which were so manie yéeres past to be present, and applie the profit and commoditie of the same vnto our selues; knowing (as one wisely said) Post sacram paginam chronica vivum veritatis typum gerere, that next vnto the holie scripture, chronicles doo carie credit. But now to the sequele, and first to duke William of Normandie.
Thus farre the historie of England from Noah and his sonnes, &c; to William duke of Normandie.
Hereafter followeth a chronologicall continuation beginning at the first yeere of the said
dukes reigne ouer this land, vntill the 25 yeere of the Queenes most excellent
maiestie Elizabeth, &c; whose daies God in mercie prolong
(like the daies of heauen) in peace and prosperitie, &c.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
Transcriber's Note
Macrons on vowels (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) sometimes indicate that 'n' has been omitted from the word. (Abbreviation in Mediæval manuscripts).
Elizabethan words and spellings have been retained (e.g. 'height' and 'heigth' are both used, sometimes in the same sentence;
'hight' = 'known as, called, etc.').
Only obvious printer's errors have been corrected, as when a letter seems to have been inverted ('n' for 'u').
The letters 'u' and 'v' are mostly interchanged; as, e.g., "in haruest time" and "vnder a bridge".
If a word or name did not fit the context, it was researched, and corrections made, if necessary.
There are a few printer's errors in this edition, which have been checked using the online 1587 edition (which itself is not without printing errors) as reference.
(http:// sceti.library.upenn.edu/sceti/PrintedBooksnew/index.cfm?TextID=holinshed_chronicle&PagePosition=1).
Also used were the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), and online Middle English and Anglo-Saxon Dictionaries, as well as online Wikipedia.
Some, but by no means all, of 'ee' has the first 'e' marked with an acute accent. This is not consistent. Where the 'é' is obviously missing from the scan, it has not been added to the text. This inconsistency in spelling and accents is an integral part of some very old books.
There are some instances of round brackets which have been opened and not closed, or nested, with only one pair closed (or closed, without having been opened). These have been retained as such.
Some placenames may have changed with the passage of time.
Some damaged or missing punctuation has been restored, but the punctuation in the lists at the end of Description III is as it appeared in the scans, and in the online edition.
Page numbers have been added to the 'Description' Tables of Contents, for the convenience of the reader; and Tables of Contents have been added to the beginning of this Volume, and to each Booke of the 'Histories'.
There are a few instances of repeated word 'too'. These have been retained, being probably the author's personal style:
- 'is too too plaine'
- 'being too too much'
- 'haue too too manie'.
- 'too too lewd'
Page 43: "practise and put in vre within your realme and kingdome."
'vre', or 'ure', is an antique word, which survives in the modern word 'inure'.
(Ure) n. [OE. ure, OF. oevre, ovre, ouvre, work, F. œuvre, L. opera. cf. Inure .] Use; practice; exercise. [Obs.] (Ure), v.t. To use; to exercise; to inure; to accustom by practice. [Obs.] (Webster's online dictionary, 1913 edition).
Page 67: 'barnacle'; 'barnacls'; 'barnacles' ... there were no spelling conventions in Holinshed's time. 'barnacls' matches 1587 ed.
Page 110: Cainborne is possibly a misprint, or name change, for Camborne, a town in the relevant locality.
The Caine riseth southeast of Caineburne [or Camborne] towne a mile and more, from whence it goeth without increase by west of Gwethian, and so into the sea west of Mara Darwaie.
Page 252: 'hanting' could mean 'haunting', or 'frequenting'.
"... they ruffle and roist it out, excéeding in apparell, and hanting riotous companie (which draweth them from their bookes vnto an other trade.)"
Page 255: 'Philip' is an abbreviation for Queen Philippa (Philippe (d'Avesnes) de Hainaut), Edward III's Queen.
Page 347: "Gipping, of going vp to anie place. ... Chipping Walden, of the Saxon word ᵹipping (or ghipping) uses the insular 'g' (ᵹ), variant of (lowercase) yogh (ȝ).
(http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insular_G)
Page 358: 'cuphar'.
"Of all the elms that euer I saw, those in the south side of Douer court, in Essex néere Harwich are the most notable, for they grow (I meane) in crooked maner, that they are almost apt for nothing else but nauie timber, great ordinance, and béetels: and such thereto is their naturall qualitie, that being vsed in the said behalfe, they continue longer, and more long than anie the like trées in whatsoeuer parcell else of this land, without cuphar, shaking, or cleauing, as I find."
Possibly from 'ceorfan' to cut, cut down. (coppice?)
Page 386: 'Bratius' is probably 'Gratius'.
"Bratius De venatione, 1/386 - probably Faliscus Gratius, De venatione, 1534."
(http: //www.cems.ox.ac.uk/holinshed/Catalogue%20of%20additional%20sources....-1.pdf)
Page 589: The symbol ᴕ has been used to represent the Greek double letter omicron/upsilon, a mediaeval ligature.
Page 663: 'Sodulius in car. Pasch', 1/663 – Caelius Sedulius (probably fl. mid 5th century), poet,. Carmen Paschale, 1475>.
(www.cems.ox.ac.uk/.../Catalogue%20of%20additional%20sources....-1.pdf)
Errata
(Corrections are also indicated, in the text, by a dotted line underneath the correction.
Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will appear.) (Note: The dotted underline may not appear in some tables.)
Page 1: 'used' corrected to 'vsed', and 'upon' to vpon', for consistency, and as in 1587 edition.
"9 Of the ancient religion vsed in Albion."
"10 Of such Ilands as are to be seene vpon the coasts of Britaine."
Page 14: 'hane' corrected to 'haue', as in 1587 edition.
"Besides these aforesaid nations, which haue crept (as you haue heard) into our Iland,"
Page 26: 'Dehenbarth' corrected to 'Deheubarth'.
"In the begining it was diuided into two kingdoms onelie, that is to saie, Venedotia or Gwynhedh (otherwise called Deheubarth)...."
Page 42: 'who lieconsented' corrected to 'wholie consented', as in 1587 edition.
"and foorthwith wholie consented to make a diuision of this land...."
Page 84: missing word "far" inserted, as in 1587 edition
"... Helledon parish, not far from Danberie,..."
Page 102: 'Ater' corrected to 'After', as in 1587 edition.
"After this confluence it goeth on toward the south, till it méet with a pretie brooke rising northeast of Whettell...."
Page 102: 'Done stroke' is probably a misprint for 'Dones broke' or 'Danes broke' (brook), which actually exists in the place mentioned.
Sidenote: "Done aliàs Dones broke."
Page 128: 'Monemouch' corrected to 'Monemouth' as in 'Monemouth' in previous sentence, and in 1587 edition.
"The Romenie ... is a goodlie water, and from the head a march betwéen Monemouth and Glamorgan shires."
Page 128: 'pound.' corrected to 'pounds.' as in 1587 edition.
Sidenote: "This Ile went fiftie yeares agone for x. pounds."
Page 130: 'Wormeslead' corrected to 'Wormeshead'.
"Then casting about by Oxwich point, we go onward there by, and sailing flat north by the Holme (hauing passed the Wormeshead and S. Kennets chappell) and then ... northeast by Whitford point,..."
Page 135: 'Marierdiue' corrected to 'Marierdine', as above, and as in 1587 edition. 'Monardiue' is as in 1587 edition.
(It is now called 'Manordeifi', or 'Maenordeifi', and is a small village in north Pembrokeshire
http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manordeifi).
"... goeth by Marierdine, and so to Cardigon, taking in one rill from by north descending by Penneralt, by north of Monardiue or Marierdine,..."
Page 135: 'Oswid' corrected to 'Oscoid' as in 1587 edition.
" ... Lantwood north west of Oscoid Mortemer,..."
Page 187: 'féeed' has been retained: 'fée-ed'?
"... & that euerie one which by féeed friendship (or otherwise) dooth attempt to procure oughts from the prince, that may profit but few and proue hurtfull to manie,..."
Page 202: 'Pits' corrected to 'Picts', as in 1587 edition.
"... and in all these wars against them, he had the seruice and obeisance of Scots and Picts."
Page 222: 'uame' corrected to 'name'
"They beare also the name of their high chapleins continuallie,..."
Page 223: (printer's error: ʃ (long 's') confused with 't'): 'to' corrected to 'so', as in 1587 online edition.
"... escaped to his ships, and so returned into Normandie."
Page 243: 'iarror' is unknown. Perhaps misprint for 'terrier2', Land Register, which fits the context.
From OED: terrier2, noun. Book recording site, boundaries, etc., of land of private persons or corporations; (hist.) collection of acknowledgements of vassals or tenants of a lordship.
"I haue seene and had an ancient terrier of the lands of this monasterie,..."
Page 244: 'Lindeffarne' corrected to 'Lindesfarne'.
(Printer's confusion of 'f' with ʃ (long 's'). Correct in 'Description 1').
Page 254: 'hain' (a Middle English word meaning a park or enclosure), corrected to 'haue' which fits the context.
"... so that there are not manie corporat townes now vnder the quéenes dominion, that haue not one Gramar schoole at the least, with a sufficient liuing for a maister and vsher appointed to the same."
Page 256: 'I' corrected to "In"
"In my opinion...."
Page 260: 'fiue wapentaxes'. This may be correct, or an error for 'wapentakes', which also appears.
Page 269: 'Sir Sanchet Dambricourt' corrected to 'Sir Sanchet D'Abrichecourt'.
Sir Sanchet D'Abrichecourt (c.1330-c.1360) was a French knight and a founder Knight of the Garter. His surname was alternatively spelt D'Abridgecourt, Dabridgcourt, Dabrichecourt or Aubréciourt and derived from from the Hainault town of Auberchicourt. His father, Nicholas D'Abrichecourt, a nobleman from Hainault, had come to England in 1326 as an escort of Queen Isabella. (Wikipedia)
Page 274: 'ro corrected to 'or', and 'rae' corrected to 'are', as 1587 online edition.
"But these citizens or burgesses are to serue the commonwealth in their cities and boroughs,..."
Page 282: 'savoureth' corrected to 'sauoureth', to match similar, and 1587 online edition.
"... their talke is now and then such as sauoureth of scurrilitie"
Page 287: 'calla breakefast' corrected to 'call a breakefast', as 1587 online edition.
"... although a little something was allowed in the morning to yoong children which we now call a breakefast."
Page 291: 'hous econsisting' corrected to 'house consisting', as 1587 online edition.
"... the higher or vpper house consisting of the nobilitie,..."
Page 295: Southampton' corrected to 'Southhampton' to match online ed.
"The borough of Southhampton."
Page 296: 'The borough of Caine' corrected to 'The borough of Calne'.
'The borough of Calne' is in Wiltshire; 'The borough of Caine' does not exist.
Page 299: Grecklade corrected to 'Cricklade' (alternate spelling 'Crekelade'). 'Cricklade' occurs earlier, in the list of Wilton (Wiltshire) boroughs.
Page 332: 'alsolued' corrected to 'absolued' to match other instances on same page, and 1587 edition.
"... till by repentance he deserue to be absolued."
Page 344: 'inhabit' corrected to 'inhibit', as 1587 edition.
"... till a law was made which did inhibit and restraine them."
Page 350: 'CHAP. XIX.' (second instance) corrected to 'CHAP. XX.' (which was missing)
Page 354: 'Cydims' corrected to 'Cydnus'.
"The Cydnus in Tarsus of Cilicia, is of such vertue,... "
Page 366: 'aeader' corrected to 'reader'.
"... I might make a greater chapter than would be either conuenient or profitable to the reader:"
Page 494: 'sush' corrected to 'such', as 1587 online edition.
"... within the which they were accustomed to sacrifice such as they tooke prisoners,..."
Page 497: 'increaes' corrected to 'increase', as 1586 online edition.
"... onelie to the Romans the dead doo still liue, and all to increase their commoditie and gaine."
Page 540: 'enterprisee' corrected to 'enterprises', as 1586 online edition.
"¶ If therefore the Britaine writers had considered and marked the valiant exploits and noble enterprises which the Brittish aids, armies and legions atchiued in seruice of the Romane emperours."
Page 566: 'whreof' corrected to 'wherof', as 1587 online edition.
"'but in stead of that which should haue brought him health, he gaue him poison, wherof he died shortlie after at Winchester aforesaid,"
Page 577: 'buruished' corrected to 'burnished'.
"... of colour like to the burnished gold, which being touched, immediatlie fell to dust."
Page 600: 'Cantrburie' corrected to 'Canturburie', as 1587 online edition.
"... the indeuour of Laurence archbishop of Canturburie in setting religion at large,..."
Page 605: 'shost' corected to 'short', as 1587 online edition.
"... caried vnder his coate a short double edged woodknife inuenomed of purpose,..."
Page 626: 'pope Grogories' corrected to 'pope Gregories', as 1587 online edition.
"after the maner as he had learned of pope Gregories disciples."
Page 629: The year 872 would be a misprint for 672, which makes sense in the context.
Page 640: 'espistle' corrected to 'epistle'.
"The same Bonifacius in an other epistle wich he wrote vnto Cutbert the archbishop of Canturburie,..."
Page 700: 'forvest' corrected to 'forrest', as 1587 online edition.
"Afterward by chance as he was hunting in a forrest néere the castell of Corfe,..."
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Old English Font is used on Page iii and in the table from Page 418 to Pag 421. If this font does not show on your computer, it is available Here:
[http://www.] uk-genealogy.org.uk/resources/
Titles and filenumbers of the presently posted Project Gutenberg files which are included in this "Complete" version.
Chronicles, Volume I: Descriptions I - III - 42506 by Raphaell Holinshed
[Holinshed Chronicles 1, the Histories, Volume 1]
The First Booke of the Historie of England - 16496
The Second Booke of the Historie of England - 13624
The Third Booke of the Historie of England - 16511
The Fovrth Booke of the Historie of England - 16536
The Fift Booke of the Historie of England - 16555
The Sixt Booke of the Historie of England - 16610
The Seuenth Booke of the Historie of England - 16617
The Eight Booke of the Historie of England - 16669 The Eight Booke of the Historie of England - 16669