Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (8 of 8): The Eight Booke of the Historie of EnglandHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (8 of 8): The Eight Booke of the Historie of England
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Edward, the Confessor, 1042-1066; Harold, King of England, 1022?-1066; Hastings, Battle of, England, 1066
Here is to be remembred, that as partlie before is expressed, we find
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
in some old writers, how the first kings of seuen kingdomes of the
Germane nation that bare rule in this Ile, fetcht their pedegrées from
one Woden, who begat of Frea his wife seuen sonnes, that is to say, 1
Vecta, of whome came the kings of Kent, 2 Fethelgeta, or Frethegeath,
from whome the kings of Mercia descended, 3 Balday, of whose race the
kings of the Westsaxons had their originall, 4 Beldagius, ancestor to
the kings of Bernicia, and the Northumbers, 5 Wegodach or Wegdagus,
from whome came the kings of Deira, 6 Caser, from whome procéeded the
kings of the Eastangles, 7 Nascad alias Saxuad, of whome the kings
of the Eastsaxons had their beginning. And here you must note, that
although the kings of the eight kingdome, that is, of the Southsaxons
or Sussex, were descended of the same people, yet were they not of the
same line. By other it should séeme, that Woden had but fiue sonnes:
as Vecta, great grandfather to Hengist; Wepedeg, ancestor to the kings
of the Eastangles; Viclac, from whome procéeded the kings of Mercia;
Saxuad, from whom the kings of Essex came; and Beldag, of whose
generation proceeded the kings of the Southsaxons, Westsaxons, and
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Io. Textor_.]
the Northumbers. Moreouer, there be that bring the genealogie from
Noe to Noah, the sonne of Lamech, which Noe was the 9 in descent from
Adam, and Woden the 15 from Noe, as you shall find in the historie of
England, lib. 6. pag. 663. Noe was the father to Sem the father of
Bedwi, the father of Wala, the father of Hatria or Hathra, the father
of Itermod, the father of Heremod, the father of Sheaf or Seaf, the
father of Seldoa or Sceldua, the father of Beatu or Beau, the father
of Teathwij aliàs Tadwa or Teathwy, the father of Geta, reputed for a
god among the gentiles, the father of Fingodulph otherwise Godulph,
the father of Fritwolfe otherwise Friuin, the father of Freolaf aliàs
Freolater, the father of Frethwold or Friderwald, the father of the
aforenamed Woden or Othen.
* * * * *
_The peeres are in doubt to whome the rule of the land should be
committed, why they durst not that Edgar Edeling should vndertake it
though he was interested to the same, how William duke of Normandie
pretended a right to the crowne, Harold the sonne of earle Goodwine
crowned, proclaimed, and consecrated king; his subtill and adulatorie
meanes to win the peoples fauour; duke William sendeth ambassadors to
Harold to put him in mind of a promise passed to the said duke for his
furtherance to obteine the crowne; Harolds negatiue answer to the said
ambassage, as also to the marieng of the dukes daughter which was
Harolds owne voluntarie motion; he prouideth against the inuasions of
the enimie as one doubting afterclaps, a blasing starre of seuen daies
continuance._
THE EIGHT CHAPTER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account