Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (7 of 8): The Seventh Boke of the Historie of England — John Shaqi
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (7 of 8): The Seventh Boke of the Historie of EnglandHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (7 of 8): The Seventh Boke of the Historie of England
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066
[Sidenote: King Egelred departed this life. _Simon Dun._
_Matth. West._]
In the meane time, king Egelred sore worne with long sicknesse,
departed this life on the 23 of Aprill, being saint Georges day, or
(as others say) on saint Gregories day, being the 12 of March, but I
take this to be an error growen, by mistaking the feast-day of saint
[Sidenote: He is buried in the church of S. Paul at London.]
Gregorie for saint George. He reigned the tearme of 37 yeares, or
little lesse. His bodie was buried in the church of saint Pauls, in
the north Ile besids the quÈere, as by a memoriall there on the wall
it maie appeare. He had two wiues (as before is mentioned.) By
Elgina his first wife he had issue thrÈe sonnes, Edmund, Edwine, and
Adelstane; besides one daughter named Egiua. By his second wife Emma,
daughter to Richard the first of that name, duke of Normandie, and
sister to Richard the second, he had two sonnes, Alfrid and Edward.
This Egelred (as you haue heard) had euill successe in his warres
against the Danes, and besides the calamitie that fell thereby to his
people, manie other miseries oppressed this land in his daies, not so
much through his lacke of courage and slouthfull negligence, as by
reason of his presumptuous pride, whereby he alienated the hearts of
[Sidenote: The pride of king Egelred alienated the harts of his
people.]
his people from him. His affections he could not rule, but was led
by them without order of reason, for he did not onlie disherit diuerse
of his owne English subiects without apparant cause of offense by
plaine forged cauillations; and also caused all the Danes to be
murdered through his realme in one day, by some light suspicion of
their euill meanings: but also gaue himselfe to lecherous lusts, in
abusing his bodie with naughtie strumpets, forsaking the bed of his
owne lawfull wife, to the great infamie & shame of that high degrÈe
of maiestie, which by his kinglie office he bare and susteined. To
conclude, he was from his tender youth more apt to idle rest, than to
the exercise of warres; more giuen to pleasures of the bodie, than to
anie vertues of the mind: although that toward his latter end, being
growen into age, and taught by long experience of worldlie affaires,
and proofe of passed miseries, he sought (though in vaine) to haue
recouered the decaied state of his common wealth and countrie.
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