The Pope's see changed. What a king did before his death. 6† kings reigned England disturbed. When the Cane began his reign. Order of battle betweenchampions. A valiant knight, What is a legion of knights. The first Pope. f. 166. Blood crosses. This time one Clement Pope did change the Pope's see from Rome to Avinione, which men wondered at. There was three Popes in Rome at once.* The eleventh King Lewis of France, being very sick before his death caused certain instruments to play before him to mitigate his pains. The Danes vexed England 255, as kings and rulers, and other ways, as appeareth by Fabian, the 209.‡ Seven Kings reigned in England together, A.D. 517.§ Welshmen and Irishmen entered England, and did exceeding much harm.-The 210. chapter of Fabian. The Great Cahane began his reign, 2 J.-Fabian, &c. The order of battle betwixt two champions was, that if any crime were laid to any, and that there could no proof be had thereof, then they two to try this same by battle; and if a woman were one, she to find a champion to fight for her; and any that so were convicted to have the judgment that appertain to the cause by the common law; 309. chapter of Fabian. And he that is slain, his fellow should bury him with reverence, 27 H. 6. It is told that a knight of the Danes valiantly kept a bridge upon the whole host of Englishmen, and slew above 40 of them with an axe, and could not be slain till one went under the bridge, and with a spear thrust him under through a hole, and so slew him.-316. chapter of Fabian. Five kings ruled England at one time; in Fabian the 26 chapter; and seven Kings after, f. 125.§ A legion of knights is 6666. Bren is an ancient name of English; the 30 cap. of Fabian. And Denes was King of Sycyll, and so no Irish name.§ The faith of Christ was received in England, 188. Constantine made the first Bishop of Rome, to be head of all bishops; and he bare the first basket of clay for the building of Saint Peter's Church; and he gave the Church of Rome first position, and was the first Christian Emperor, 313. King Arthur began his reign 518; the 104. c. Fa. A blazing star called stella cometa; the 135 c. Fa.; 15 H.1.; 11 E. 3; 42 E. 3; 5 R. 2; which is a sign of the change of that prince, or pestilence.§ In this time, as men walked in the streets, crosses of blood fell upon their apparel; and drops of blood fell from Heaven. upon the fields, as rain doth; the 157. c. Fa. This sentence is added by a different hand. † Altered to "7" by another hand. "chapter" omitted? Added by a different hand, "possecion," MS. A woman's merry talk. A hide of land. Mongomry what he was. The last King of What was a yard. What was the order of priests. One that lived long. Guy of Warwick fought. A Prince of Wales' ransom. Elfleda, of her it is told that when she had once assayed the woe and sorrow that women feel and suffer in bearing of a child, she hated the embracing of her husband ever after, and took witness of God, and said that it was not convenient nor seemly to a king's daughter to use such fleshly liking, whereof such sorrow should ensue or follow.-The 108. c. of Fabian. A hide of land containeth five yards, and every yard containeth four acres; and so the hide of land containeth 20 acres. An acre containeth 40 perche[s] in length, and four in bread [th]; and four acres maketh a yard, and five yards maketh a hide, and eight hides maketh a knight's fee; by the which reason a knight's fee should weld* 110 acres, and that is deemed a plow-tylthe for a year. Mongomery was Earl of Shrowesbry, the 1 W. 2. Rees was the last King of Wales, but they had many princes after, which governed them; 2 W. 2. This William said that Westminster Hall was but a chamber in respect of that he meaned to build. Mark that a measured yard is fully the length of King Henry the First his arm. In 2 H. 1, priests was forbidden that they should have no wives. Two moons was seen this time, one in the west, another in the east. In the 8. Lewis the French King's time, there was a Frenchman called Johannes de Temporibus, that lived 300 years. Ethillstane, King of England, was enforced to get a champion to fight with a Dane called Colbron, a great giant, for the right of a cause that depended between the Danes and the King, and at length found one by a vision that took the battle in hand, which was called Gye of Wervicke, some time knight of the Round Table. His wife was at this time alive, and served him as a pilgrim long and many a time before, unknown to herself, till he died, whom she buried; in the 185. c. of Fab. This Arthurt was in the hundred 6. c. of Fabian. Edgarde took the King or Prince of Wales, was taken, and his ransom was 300 wolves' heads, by reason whereof all the wolves of England were slain. This Edgard King of England, being discommended of the Scottish King, by a guile brought the said King to the field alone, having two swords under his mantle, and willed him to take his choice, and said, "Tho' thou saidest that I had not the personage of a man, * Sic. "arture," MS. The words "took the " are inserted by the same hand, but the words " was taken" are not struck out. thou shalt find that I have the heart of a lion." But the The Kings was accustomed to be crowned at Kings-town; the 109. c. Fa. See there Dunstan's prophecy. The Frenchmen having so much to do in England that the King gave 15,000 marks to be free of them, by reason of the Barons' war; at which time the Scots, Englishmen, and Frenchmen did homage and fealty at London to Lewis the French King's brother, 1 H. 3. In 4 H. 3, much foul* winds and fiery dragons appeared in England, and did much harm. 5 H. 3., there was one that feigned himself to be Christ, and showed where his wounds were; and at length by argument he was found a dissembler, and so was nailed upon a cross till he died. In 15 H. 1., 17 H. 3., 31 H. 3., there fell a great earthquake, that made many to fear this same; and this was a[t] Huntyngtoune. A bishop of England, being summoned to appear before the Pope, did appeal from his court to Christ's own throne, 33 H. 3. 34 H. 3, did homage to the French King for the dukedom of Gyone. A Jew falling in a foul puddle or mire, said he would not remove for reverence of his sabbath day, then being the Saturday. The Earl of Glossitor, hearing that, said that he should also rest there his sabbath day; and rested till Monday, and there died, 43 H. 3. The barons of England warred against the King of England, 44 H. 3. And so did they against E. 2., the 20. year.† After the flood of Noye all the islands of the world was divided in three parts, that is to say, to Ceem, Chame, and Jaceth. Ceem in Asia reigned, where as it containeth 15 provinces, that is to say, Acaia, Judæa, Siria, Media, Mesopothania, Caldia, Capadocia, Palestina, Aramenia, Sicilia, Sumae, Eipta, and Libia. Cham reigned in Africa, which containeth 12 provinces, that is to say, Libia, Sma, Tentapoll, Eigopia, T[r]ypolitania, Lifrayo, Cecula, Nathabia, Mynudia, Samaria. Jafet reigned in Europa, which contained 14 provinces ; that is to say, Roma, Calestia, Hispania, Almannya, Masedonya, Troia, Balinacia, Pavonia, Colonia, Gallia, Aquitonia, Britania, Ybernia, Austracia. Those three gentlemen aforesaid was sons to Noye. * "furle," MS. † Added by another hand. f. 168. Mackamet's beginning and his laws. In old time, by their law, the bishops rode upon mares; and after they received the faith, they were armed, and rode upon horses; and they did christen in rivers of waters, as it appeareth in Fabyane f. 126, in King Edwyn's time, Anno Domini, 635.* § About that time, of 620 of our Lord (Fabian saith 635),† lived Machoment, the false prophet, duke of Sarasins and leader of Turks. This story is brought in this manner, but Stephen of Canterbury and Gyralde of Cambria helpen much in this manner. Some time, while the empire of Rome was in great might and strength, for Christendom was much wider and more than the empire of Rome, and was so increased that it contained Europa, and many provinces of Asia, and well nigh all Africa, within his marks and bands; at last by discord and strife of Christian men between themselves it was done that the Agarenes waxed strong. The Agarenes have three names, called Agarenes, Ismalytes, and Sarasens. Of which their empire prophesied Methodius the martyr, and said that Christian religion should have little without the ends of Europa. Also after that error of Sarasyns had infect all Africa, it defiled also a great deal of Spain. And, but God's grace and mercy had holpen, it would have infect and shent all France, with Spain. Then, after the Great Gregory's time, the empire of Rome that stretched sometime from the ocean of Britayn unto the ends of Perce,§ was so destroyed with tyranny and civil battles, that it was not of power to defend itself against enemies. Then the cruel Paynim host of Perce began to occupy many provinces of the lordship of Rome, and of men of Christian faith of the East lands. Then, as the great fly followeth the track of the male shawe,|| so after other woe cometh pestilence of the Iesmalytes, that was more grievous, and destroyed nigh the Christian men that were left in the East lands, by leading of the Prince Machoment, in Heraclyus the Emperor's time. Then, in the fifth Boniface['s] time, while Hiraclius reigned, about the year of our ¶ Lord 620, Machoment, the false prophet, **and which beguiled the Ismalytes and Agarenes in this *This paragraph is by a different hand. † Inserted by another hand. "matte," MS. Persia. Sic. Note at the foot of f. 168 a. by another hand : The time of Lent was "begun by Excombertus, a Saxon King in Kent, A.D. 635, and Cadwall, King "of Britain, in (The rest is cut off.) ** Sic. Qu. something omitted? f. 169. manner. A famous clerk was at the court of Rome, and might not speed at his will, and passed the sea, and pleased many men, and had them at his assent. Among the which, he promised Machoment that he would make him prince of his people if he would do as he said. Then this clerk fed up a dove, and made him fetch his meat in Machoment's ear, for there he put the corn that the dove should eat. And of that same the [dove] would oft feed himself. Then, in a day, this clerk gathered the people together, and promised them that he would make him their prince whom the Holy Ghost would show in likeness of a dove, and let anon his dove flee, and the dove, as was wont, sat anon upon Machoment's shoulder, and put his bill in Machoment's ear; and therefore Machoment was chosen prince and leader of the people. This that is said is the common tale, but what now followeth is more allowed than approved. A monk that hight Sergius was put out of the company of monks that he was among, for he was falle[n] into Nostorius's error. He came into Arabya and put himself to Machoment, and informed him; though it be read that this Sergius was archdeacon of Antiochia or patriarch of Jerusalem. Then Machoment, fatherless and motherless, was in his eme'st keeping in childhood, and worshipped mamentrye somewhat oft times with his countrymen of Arabya; and he gave himself specially to worship Venus. And therefore it is that yet the Sarasens hold the Friday holyday, as the Jews done the Saturday, and we the Sunday. After that, Machoment came to age, and was sharp of wit, and went into many lands because § of merchandize, and was often in company of Jews and of Christian men, and learned the manners, usages, and customs of both, the laws of Christian men and of Jews, and could both witchcraft and necromancy, and was a wonderful man and far casting, and had noble, facound, and fair speech. Then he came to the lady of the province of Corozonia. The lady hight Catigan; and with some spices that he brought, with witchcraft and fair words, he made the lady so mad and so nice, that she worshipped him as the great prophet of God Almighty, or as it were Messyas, that the Jews abiden; and she desired him to a husband. It is the usage of that province to be ruled also by women. Then he wedded the widow that was queen, and so he was made lord of that province. Then he drew to him the Arabeys, Note at foot by a different hand :—" Macamet denied the Trinity, and saith "the Holy Ghost is but a creature or substance made. With the Nycolaides "he allowed the having of many wives according the Old Testament, with "other divers orders, etc., and to put them away when he listed." (The last few words are doubtful, being partially cut away.) |