Chronicles 1 (of 6): The Historie of England 5 (of 8): The Fift Booke of the Historie of England.Holinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles 1 (of 6): The Historie of England 5 (of 8): The Fift Booke of the Historie of England.
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066
¶ Notwithstanding the premisses, here is to be remembred, that
whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories
of this Vter had against the Saxons, and how that Osca the sonne of
Hengist should be slaine in battell by him and his power: in those
[Sidenote: Osca. 34 saith _Henrie Hunt._ in corrupted copies.]
old writers which haue registred the acts of the English Saxon kings
we find no such matter, but rather that after the deceasse of Hengist,
his sonne Osca or Occa reigned in Kent 24 yeares, defending his
kingdome onelie, and not séeking to inlarge it (as before is touched.)
After whose death his sonne Oth, and Irmenrike sonne to the same Oth
succéeded, more resembling their father than their grandfather or
great grandfather. To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three
yeares by the chronicles: but whether they reigned iointlie togither,
or seuerallie & apart either after other, it is not certeinlie
perceiued.
* * * * *
_Porth the Saxon arriueth at Portesmouth, warre betweene Nazaleod
king of the Britains and the Saxons, the Britains are ouerthrowen and
slaine, the kingdome of the west Saxons beginneth, the compasse or
continent thereof, the meanes whereby it was inlarged._
THE ELEUENTH CHAPTER.
[Sidenote: Porth entred this land about the yeare of our Lord 501 as
_Matth. West._ noteth.]
Now will we breefelie discourse vpon the incidents which first
happened during the reigne of Vter Pendragon. We find that one Porth a
Saxon with his two sons Megla and Beda came on land at Portesmouth in
Sussex, about the beginning of the said Vters reigne, and slue a noble
yoong man of the Britains, and manie other of the meaner sort with
[Sidenote: _Harison_ supposeth the riuer to be called Ports, as for
the word mouth, is the fall of anie fresh riuer into the sea.]
him. Of this Porth the towne & hauen of Portesmouth tooke the name,
as some haue thought. Moreouer, about 40 yeares after the comming of
the Saxons into this land with their leader Hengist, one Nazaleod, a
mightie king amongst the Britains, assembled all the power he could
make to fight with Certicus king of the Westsaxons, who vnderstanding
of the great power of his enimies, required aid of Osca king of Kent,
also of Elle king of Sussex, and of Porth and his sonnes which were
latelie before arriued as ye haue heard. Certicus being then furnished
with a conuenient armie, diuided the same into two battels, reseruing
the one to himselfe, and the other he appointed to his sonne Kenrike.
King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus led, was of more
strength than the other which Kenrike gouerned, he set first vpon
Certicus, thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies
armie, he should easilie ouercome the other. Herevpon he gaue such a
fierce charge vpon that wing, that by verie force he opened the same,
and so ouerthrew the Saxons on that side, making great slaughter of
them as they were scattered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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