in Wales) forty. Cornwal (because of the Britons there planted) until the Conqueror gave the County to his brother, Robert of Moreton, continued out of the division. Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmoreland, and Durham, being all northern, seem to have been then under Scotish But the two first received their

or Danish power.

division, as it seems, before the conquest: for Cumberland had its particular governors (m), and Northumberland earls (n): Westmoreland, perhaps, began when king John gave it Robert Vipont, ancestor to the Cliffords, holding by that patent to this day the inheritance of the sheriffdom. Durham religiously was with large immunities (0) given to the bishop since the Norman invasion. Lancaster, until Henry III. created his younger son, Edmund Crook-back, earl of it, I think, was no county: for in one of our old year books a learned judge affirms (p), that in this Henry's time, was the first sheriff's tourn held there. Nor until Edward (first son to Edmund Langley, duke of York, and afterward duke of Aumerle) created by Richard II. had Rutland any earls. I know, for number and time of those, all authority agrees not with me; but I conjecture only upon selected. As Alured divided the shires first; so to him is owing the constitution of hundreds, tithings, lathes, and wapentakes, to the end that whosoever were not lawfully, upon credit of his boroughs, i. e. pledges, admitted in some of them for a good subject, should be reckoned as suspicious of life and loyalty. Some steps thereof remain in our ancient and later law-books.

Which he an heirloom left unto the English throne.

The first healing of the king's evil is referred to this Edward the Confessor (9) and of a particular example in his curing a young married woman, an old monument is left to posterity (r). In France, such a kind of cure is attributed to their kings also; both of that and this, if you desire particular inquisition, take Dr. Tooker's Charisma sanationis.

Our country's common laws did faithfully produce.

In Lambard's Archæonomy, and Roger of Ho. veden's Henry II. are laws under the name of the Confessor and Conqueror, joined and deduced, for the most part, out of their predecessors; but those of the Confessor seem to be the same, if Malmesbury deceive not (s), which king Cunt collected, of whom his words are, Omnes leges ab antiquis regibus & maximè antecessore suo Ethelredo latas, sub interminatione regiæ mulctæ, perpetuis temporibus observari præcepit, in quarum custodiam etiam nunc tempore bonorum sub nomine regis Edwardi juratur, non quod ille statuerit, sed quod observaverit; and under this

(m) Mat. West. fol. 366.
(2) Ingulph. hist. Crowland.
(2) Thorp. 17 Ed. 3. fol. 56. h.

(p) Bract lib. 3. tract. de Corona, cap. 10. Quamplurimi casus in annis Ed. 3. & 5. Jacob. apud Dom. Ed. Cok. lib. 6. fol. 77. maximè vero huc faciunt Itin. illa H. 3. & Ed. 1.

(9) Polydor. hist. 8.

(r) Eilred. Rhivaliens. ap. Took, in Charismat. Sanat. c. 6.

(s) De gest. Reg. 2. cap. 11.

The Muse, that part of Shropshire plies
Which on the east of Severn lies:
Where mighty Wrekin from his height,
In the proud Cambrian mountains' spite,
Sings those great Saxons ruling here,
Which the most famous warriors were.
And as she in her course proceeds,
Relating many glorious deeds
Of Guy of Warwick's fight, doth strain
With Colebrond, that renowned Dane,
And of the famous battles try'd
"Twixt Knute and Edmond Ironside,
To the Staffordian fields doth rove,
Visits the springs of Trent and Dove;
Of Moreland, Cank, and Needwood sings;
An end which to this canto brings.

power;

His eminent disgrace expecting every hour, [look) Those flatterers that before (with many cheerful Had grac'd his goodly sight, him utterly forsook, And muflled them in clouds, like mourners veil'd in black, [wrack: Which of their utmost hope attend the ruinous That those delicious nymphs, fair Tearn and Rodon clear [him dear;

(Two brooks of him belov'd, and two that held He, having none but them, they having none but be,

Which to their mutual joy might either's object be) Within their secret breasts conceived sundry fears, And as they mix'd their streams, for him so mix'd

their tears.

Whom, in their coming down, when plainly he discerns,

For them his nobler heart in his strong bosom yearns :

But, constantly resolv'd, that (dearer if they were) The Britons should not yet all from the English bear; [by Cambria brought, "Therefore," quoth he, “brave flood, tho' forth Yet as fair England's friend, or mine thou would'st | be thought [take:" (0 Severn!) let thine ear my just defence parWhich said, in the behalf of th' English thus he spake;

"Wise Weever (I suppose) sufficiently hath said Of those our princes here, which fasted, watch'd and pray'd,

[deeds: Whose deep devotion went for other's vent'rous But in this song of mine, he seriously that reads, Shall find, ere I have done, the Briton (so extoll'd, Whose height each mountain strives so vainly to uphold) [might, Match'd with as valiant men, and of as clean a As skilful to command, and as inur'd to fight, Who, when their fortune will'd that after they should scorse [for force, Blows with the big-bon'd Dane, exchanging force (When first he put from sea to forage on this shore, Two hundred years2 distain'd with either's equal gore;

Now this aloft, now that, oft did the English reign, And oftentimes again depressed by the Dane) The Saxons then, I say, themselves as bravely show'd, [bestow'd. As those on whom the Welsh such glorious praise "Nor could his angry sword, who Egbert overthrew,

The most redoubted spirits that Denmark here address'd.

"And Alured, not much inferior to the rest: Who having in his days so many dangers past, In seven brave foughten fields their champion Hubba chas'd,

And slew him in the end, at Abington, that day, Whose like the Sun ne'er saw in his diurnal way: Where those, that from the field sore wounded sadly fled, [dead,

Were well-near overwhelm'd with mountains of the His force and fortune made the foes so much to fear, As they the land at last did utterly forswear. "And when proud Rollo', next, their former powers repair'd

(Yea, when the worst of all it with the English far'd) Whose countries near at hand, his force did still supply, [mandy, And Denmark to her drew the strengths of NorThis prince in many a fight their forces still defy'd. The goodly river Lee he wisely did divide, By which the Danes had then their full-fraught navies tew'd: [ru'd. The greatness of whose stream besieged Hartford This Alfred, whose foresight had politicly found Betwixt them and the Thames advantage of the

(Through which he thought at once the Saxons to Ilis kingly courage quell: but from his short retire, His reinforced troops (new forg'd with sprightly fire) Before them drave the Dane, and made the Briton

[praise, "So we the Wiltshire men as worthily may That buckled with those Danes, by Ceorl and Osrick brought. [that fought, "And Ethelred, with them nine sundry fields Recorded in his praise, the conquests of one year. You right-nam'd English then, courageous men you were, [lord:

When Reading ye regain'd, led by that valiant Where Basrig ye out-brav'd, and Halden, sword to sword;

might

and Montgomery. 2 See to song I.

? See to the next song of Rollo.

In England to appear at his imperial seat. [retreat, "But after, when the Danes, who never wearied were,

Came with intent to make a general conquest here, They brought with them a man deem'd of so wondrous might,

As was not to be match'd by any mortal wight: For, one could scarcely bear his ax into the field; Which as a little wand the Dane would lightly wield:

[spirit, And (to enforce that strength) of such a dauntless A man (in their conceit) of so exceeding merit, That to the English oft they off'red him (in pride) The ending of the war by combat to decide: Much scandal which procur'd unto the English [with shame, When, some out of their love, and some spur'd on By envy some provok'd, some out of courage, fain Would undertake the cause to combat with the Dane.

name.

But Athelstan the while, in settled judgment found, Should the defendant fail, how wide and deep a It likely was to leave to his defensive war. [wound "Thus, whilst with sundry doubts his thoughts perplexed are, [famous Guy It pleas'd all-powerful Heaven, that Warwick's (The knight through all the world renown'd for chivalry) [long. Arriv'd from foreign parts, where he had held him His honourable arms devoutly having hung In a religious house, the off'rings of his praise To his redeemer Christ, his help at all assays (Those arms, by whose strong proof he many a Christian freed,

And bore the perfect marks of many a worthy deed) Himself, a palmer poor, in homely russet clad (And only in his hand his hermit's staff he had) Tow'rds Winchester alone (so) sadly took his way, Where Athelstan, that time the king of England, lay; [abide, And where the Danish camp then strongly did Near to a goodly mead, which men there call the Hide. [bring The day that Guy arriv'd (when silent night did Sleep both on friend and foe) that most religious king [suppress'd) (Whose strong and constant heart all grievous cares His due devotion done, betook himself to rest. To whom it seem'd by night an angel did appear, Sent to him from that God whom he invok'd by

quoth he,

[than me

accept,

In some convenient place proclaiming it be kept: Where, by th' Almighty's power, for England I'll appear.' [wonted cheer,

"The king, much pleas'd in mind, assumes his And to the Danish power his choicest herald sent. When, both through camp and court, this combat quickly went.

Which suddenly divulg'd, whilst ev'ry list'ning ear,
As thirsting after news, desirous was to hear,
Who for the English side durst undertake the day,
The puissant kings accord, that in the middle way
Betwixt the tent and town, to either's equal sight,
Within a goodly mead, most fit for such a fight,
The lists should be prepar'd for this material prize.
"The day prefix'd once com'n, both Dane and
[throng:
And to th' appointed place th' unnumber'd people
The weaker female sex, old men, and children

English rise,

And in his hand his staff, his reverend steps to stay, Holding a comely pace: which at his passing by, In every censuring tongue, as every serious eye, Compassion mix'd with fear, distrust and courage bred. [ireful red; "Then Colebrond for the Danes came forth in Before him (from the camp) an ensign first display'd

Amidst a guard of gleaves: then sumptuously array'd

[sound Were twenty gallant youths, that to the warlike Of Danish brazen drums, with many a lofty bound, Come with their country's march, as they to Mars should dance. [advance : Thus, forward to the fight, both champions them And each without respect doth resolutely chuse The weapon that he brought, nor doth his foe's refuse. [feel, The Dane prepares his ax, that pond'rous was to Whose squares were laid with plates, and riveted with steel, [points And armed down along with pikes; whose hard'ned (Fore'd with the weapon's weight) had power to tear the joints

Of cuirass or of mail, or whatsoe'er they took: Which caus'd him at the knight disdainfully to look. "When our stout palmer soon (unknown for valiant Guv)

The cord from his straight loins doth presently untie, [bore Puts off his palmer's weed unto his truss, which The stains of ancient arms, but show'd it had before Been costly cloth of gold; and off his hood he threw:

Out of his hermit's staff his two-hand sword he drew (The unsuspected sheath which long to it had been) Which till that instant time the people had not seen,

A sword so often try'd. Then to himself, quoth he, Arms, let me crave your aid, to set my country free:

And never shall my heart your help again require,
But only to my God to lift you up in pray'r.'
"Here, Colebrond forward made, and soon the
Christian knight

Encounters him again with equal power and spite:
Whereas, betwixt them two, might eas❜ly have
been seen
[been,
Such blows, in public throngs as used had they

Of many there the least might many men have slain : [they sustain; Which none but they could strike, nor none but The most relentless eye that had the power to awe, And so great wonder bred in those the fight that

saw,

As verily they thought, that nature until then Had purposely reserv'd the utmost power of men, Where strength still answer'd strength, on courage courage grew. [pursue

"Look how two lions fierce, both hungry, both One sweet and self-same prey, at one another fly, And with their armed paws ingrappled dreadfully, The thunder of their rage, and boist'rous struggling make [quake: The neighbouring forests round affrightedly to Their sad encounter such. The mighty Colebrond struck [broke,

A cruel blow at Guy: which though he finely
Yet (with the weapon's weight) his ancient hilt it
split,
[hit

And (thereby lessened much) the champion lightly
Upon the reverend brow : iminediately from whence
The blood dropt softly down, as if the wound had
[see.

sense

As though it meant to say, ' Behold your champion's By this proud palmer's hand.' Such claps again and cries

The joyful English gave, as cleft the very skies. Which coming on along from these that were without, [shout, When those within the town receiv'd this cheerful They answer'd them with like; as those their joy that knew. [pursue, "Then with such eager blows each other they As every offer made should threaten imminent death; [breath, Until, through heat and toil both hardly drawing They desperately do close. Look how two boars being set [whet, Together side to side, their threat'ning tusks do And with their gnashing teeth their angry foam do

As wanting hands to bid his countrymen adieu. "The English part, which thought an end he would have made,

[said, And seeming as they much would in his praise have He bid them yet forbear, whilst he pursu'd his fame,

1

spread,

With those disorder'd troops by Alaff hither led, In seconding their Swane, which cry'd to them for aid;

Their multitudes so much sad Ethelred dismay'd, As from his country fore'd the wretched king to fly. An English yet there was, when England seem'd to lie

Under the heaviest yoke that ever kingdom bore, Who wash'd his secret knife in Swane's relentless gore,

With as successful speed won Derby from the Dane.
From Lie'ster then again, and Lincoln at the length,
Drave out the Dacian powers by his resistless
strength:
[flood,
And this his England clear'd beyond that raging
Which that prond king of Huns once christ'ned with
his blood.
[shown,
By which, great Edmond's power apparently was
The land from Humber south recovering for his
own;

That Edgar after him so much disdain'd the Dane
Unworthy of a war that should disturb his reign,
As generally he seem'd regardless of their hate.
And studying every way magnificence in state,
At Chester whilst he liv'd at more than kingly
charge,

[barge: Eight tributary kings' there row'd him in his His shores from pirates sack the king that strongly kept: [swept. §. A Neptune, whose proud sails the British Ocean "But after his decease, when his more hopeful [done,

son,

§. By cruel stepdame's hate to death was lastly To set his rightful crown upon a wrongful head (When by thy fatal curse, licentious Ethelred, Through dissoluteness, sloth, and thy abhorred life, As grievous were thy sins, so were thy sorrows rife) The Dane, possessing all, the English forc'd to bear [were; A heavier yoke than first those heathen slaveries Subjected, bought, and sold, in that most wretched plight, [affright. As even their thraldom seem'd their neighbours to Yet could not all their plagues the English height

abate:

And Edmond, loth to lose what Knute desir'd to At London caus'd himself inaugurate to be. King Knute would conquer all, king Edmond would be free. [prest: The kingdom is the prize for which they both are And with their equal powers both meeting in the west,

The green Dorsetian-fields a deep vermillion dy'd: Where Gillingham gave way to their great hosts (in pride)

went

Abundantly their blood that each on other spent. But Edmond, on whose side that day the better [suppress (And with like fortune thought the remnant to That Sarum then besieg'd, which was in great distress)

With his victorious troops to Salisbury retires : When with fresh bleeding wounds, Knute, as with fresh desires, [yet unsubdu'd, Whose might though somewhat maim'd, his mind His lately conquering foe courageously pursu'd : And finding out a way, sent to his friends with speed,

Who him supply'd with aid and being help'd at need,

Tempts Edmond still to fight, still hoping for a day. Towards Wor'stershire their powers both well upon their way, There, falling to the field, in a continual fight Two days the angry hosts still parted were by night: Where twice the rising Sun, and twice the setting, [to draw:

saw