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
[Sidenote: It should séeme that this historie of Gurmundus is but some
fained tale except it may be that he was some Dane, Norwegian or
Germane.]
Of this Gurmundus the old English writers make no mention, nor
also anie ancient authors of forren parties: and yet saith the British
booke, that after he had conquered this land, and giuen it to the
Saxons, he passed ouer into France, and there destroied much of that
land, as an enimie to the faith of Christ. For which consideration he
was the more readie to come to the aid of the Saxons, who as yet had
not receiued the christian faith, but warred against the Britains, as
well to destroie the faith of Christ within this land, as to establish
to themselues continuall habitations in the same. There be, that
omitting to make mention of Gurmundus, write thus of the expelling
of the Britains out of this land at that time, when with their king
Careticus they got them into Wales.
[Sidenote: 586.]
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
In the yéere of Grace 586, Careticus a louer of ciuill
warre succéeded Malgo an enimie to God and to the Britains, whose
inconstancie when the English and Saxon kings perceiued, with one
consent they rose against him, and after manie battels chased him from
citie to citie, till at length incountering with him in a pight field,
they droue him beyond Seuerne into Wales. Héerevpon clerks and priests
were driuen out of their places with bright swoords brandishing in
all parts, and fire crackling in churches, wherewith the same were
consumed. The remnant of the Britains therefore withdrew into the west
parts of the land, that is to say, into Cornwall, and into Wales, out
of which countries they oftentimes brake out, and made insurrections
vpon the Saxons, the which in maner aforsaid got possession of the
chiefest parts of the land, leauing to the Britains onlie three
prouinces, that is to say, Cornwall, Southwales, and Northwales, which
countries were not easie to be woone, by reason of the thicke woods
inuironed with déepe mareshes and waters, and full of high craggie
rocks and mounteins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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