Arsaces Parthis, Carolus Francis, Anno vitæ 37. Regni sui cum fratre, & post 21. Idibus Julii obiit, & apud Glascon sepelitur.

O Glastonbury, Glastonbury, the treasurie of the carcases of so famous, and so many persons (Quæ olim mater sanctorum dicta es, & ab aliis, tumulus sanctorum, quam ab ipsis discipulis Domini, ædificatam fuisse venerabilis habet Antiquorum authoritas) how lamentable is thy case nowe! howe hath hypocrisie and pride wrought thy desolation! though I omit here the names of very many other, both excellent holy men, and mighty princes, whose carcases are committed to thy custody, yet that Apostolike Joseph, that triumphant British Arthur, and nowe this peaceable and provident Saxon king Edgar, doe force me with a certaine sorowful reverence, here to celebrate thy memorie.

This peaceable king Edgar (as by ancient Recordes may appeare) his Sommer progresses, and yerely chiefe pastimes were, the sailing round about this whole Isle of Albion, garded with his grand navie of 4000. saile at the least, parted into 4. equall parts of petie Navies, eche one being of 1000. ships, for so it is anciently recorded.

Idem quoque Edgarus, 4000. naves congregavit, ex quibus omni anno, post festum Paschale, 1000. naves ad quamlibet Angliæ partem statuit, sic, æstate Insulam circumnavigavit: hyeme verò, judicia in Provincia exercuit: & hæc omnia ad sui exercitium, & ad hostium fecit terrorem.

COULD, and would that peaceable & wise king Edgar, before need, as being in peace and quiet with all nations about him, and notwithstanding mistrusting his possible enemies, make his pastimes so roially, politically, and triumphantly, with so many thousand ships, and at the least with ten times so many men as ships, and that yerely? and shall we being not assured of such neighbors friendship, as may become to us as cruel and tyrannicall enemies as never king Edgar needed to dread the like, and they as many and mighty princes, as never king Edgar coped with the like, shall we (said he) not judge it some part of wisdome, to imitate carefully in some litle proportion (though not with so many thousands) the prosperous pastimes of peaceable king Edgar, that

Saxonicall Alexander? yea, prosperous pastimes these may bee justly counted, by which he also made evident to the whole world, that as he wisely knew the ancient bounds and limits of this British Empire, so that he could and would royally, justly, and triumphantly enjoy the same, spite of the devil, and maugre the force of any forreine potentate. And al that, so highly and faithfully to the glory of God finally intended and brought to passe, as the wisest and godliest Prelates and counsellors of those dayes (so counted of and recorded) coulde best advise and direct him, or perchance, but sincerely commend and duetifully incourage him in, he being of himselfe so bent, as purposing first invincibly to fortifie the chiefe and uttermost walles of his Islandish Monarchie, against all forreine encombrance possible. And in that fortification furthering and assuring to trust best his owne oversight and judgement, in yeerely viewing the same in every quarter thereof, and that as it were for his pastime Imperiall, also in Sommer time, to the ende that afterward in all securitie, hee might in Winter time (vacare) be at convenient leisure on land, chiefly to set foorth Gods due honour, and secondly to understand, and diligently to listen to the causes and complaints of his commons. For as Matthæus Westmonasteriensis of him to his Imperiall commendation hath left us a remembrance.

Habebat autem præterea consuetudinem, per omnes

Regni provincias transire, ut intelligeret quomodo legum jura, & suorum statuta decretorum, à principibus observarentur, & ne pauperes à potentibus præjudicium passi, opprimerentur, diligenter investigare solebat: in uno fortitudini, in altero Justitiæ studens, & Reipub. regníque utilitati consulens in utroque. Hinc hostibus circumquáque timor, & amor omnium erga eum excreverat subditorum.

Thus we see how in opportunitie, this peaceable Edgar procured to this Empire such prosperous securitie, that his true and faithfull subjects, all maner of wayes (that is at home and also at sea, both outward and inward) might peaceably, safely and securely employ their wits and travels for the marveilous enriching of this kingdome, and pleasuring very many other, carying forth the naturall

commodities of this land, abounding here above our necessary uses (and due store reserved) and likewise againe furnishing the same with all necessary and not superfluous forreine commodities, fet from farre or forrein countreys. This was in deed (as before is recorded) a kingly providence, Reipub. Regnique utilitati consulens, &c. besides with great utilitie and profite publique foreseene, and by his meanes enjoyed, he himselfe used most gladly the advantage of that securitie, in ministring of justice, or causing the same to be executed all his kingdome over, not squemishly, frowningly or skornefully shunning the ragged and tattered sleeve of any suppliant, holding up to him a simple soiled bill of complaint or petition, and that homely contrived, or afrayde at, and timerously hasting from the sickly pale face or feeble limmed suter, extreemely constrained so to speake for himselfe, nor parcially smoothering his owne conscience, to favour or mainteine the foule fault and trespasse unlawfull of any his subjects, how mightie or necessary soever, they (els) were, but diligently made search, least Pauperes à potentibus præjudicium passi, opprimerentur.

Thus did publique securitie from forrein foe abroad, and true love of his owne subjects, garding him at home, and the heavenly spirit directing all his good purposes, cause justice and equitie in all quarters of this Albion to flourish. For which his peaceable and prosperous benefits at the eternall king his hand obteined, hee became not insolent or declined to tyrannical regiment (as some princes in other countreis have made their lives Comicotragical) but with all his foresaide invincible Seaforce, aboundant wealth, triumphant peace, with securitie and Justice over all his Monarchie prevailing, his heart was continually, and most zealously bent to set foorth the glory, laude and honour of the Almightie Creator, the heavenly and everlasting king, by such principall and princely meanes, as (then) were deemed to God most acceptable, as many monuments yet to our dayes remaining, do of him undoubtedly testifie : As this, for one. Altitonantis Dei largiflua clementia, qui est rex Regum, Ego Edgarus Anglorum Basileus omniúmque Regum, Insularum, Oceaníque Britanniam circumjacentis, cunctarúmque nationum quæ infra eam includuntur, Imperator, & Dominus, gratias ago ipsi Deo omnipotenti, Regi meo, qui meum Im

perium sic ampliavit, & exaltavit super regnum patrum meorum: qui licet Monarchiam totius Angliæ adepti sunt à tempore Athelstani (qui primus regnum Anglorum, & omnes Nationes, quæ Britanniam incolunt, sibi Armis subegit) nullus tamen eorum ultra ejus fines imperium suum dilatare aggressus est. Mihi autem concessit propitia Divinitas, cum Anglorum Imperio, omnia regna Insularum Oceani, cum suis ferocissimis Regibus, usque Noruegiam, maximámque partem Hyberniæ, cum sua nobilissima Civitate Dublinia, Anglorum regno subjugare: Quos etiam omnes, meis Imperiis colla subdere (Dei favente gratia) coegi. Quapropter & ego Christi gloriam, & laudem exaltare, & ejus servitium amplificare devotus disposui, & per meos fideles Fautores, Dunstanum viz. Archiepiscopum, Athelwoldum, & Oswaldum episcopos (quos mihi patres spirituales, & Consiliatores elegi) magna ex parte, secundum quod disposui, effeci, &c.

And againe this in another Monument.

OMNIPOTENTIS Dei, &c. Ipsius nutu & gratia suffultus, Ego Edgarus Basileus dilectæ Insulæ Albionis, subditis nobis sceptris Scotorum, Cumbrorum, ac Brytonum, & omnium circumcirca Regionum, quieta pace perfruens, studiosus sollicitè de laudibus creatoris omnium occupor addendis Ne nunc inertia, nostrísque diebus (plus æquo) servitus ejus tepescere videatur, &c. 18. mei terreni Imperii anno, &c. Anno Incarnationis Dominicæ, 973.

Ego Edgarus totius Albionis Basileus hoc privilegium (tanta roboratum authoritate) crucis Thaumate confirmavi.

So that by all these rehearsed Records, it is most evident that the peaceable king Edgar, was one of those Monarchs, in whose handes (if life had suffised) the incredible value and priviledge granted by God and nature unto this British monarchie, might have bene peaceably purchased in such sort, as the very blessing and favour of the divine Trinitie hath laid meanes for our industrie to attaine to, and enjoye the same by.

And though sundry other valiant princes and kings of this land I could recite, which in times past have either

by intent gone about, or by wise and valiant exploit, have meetely well prospered towards this Islandish appropriate supremacie attaining, yet never any other reasonable meanes was used, or by humane wit, or industrie can be contrived, to al purposes sufficient, but only by our. sea forces prevailing, and so by our invincible enjoying al within the sea limites of our British royaltie contained. To which incredible political mysterie attaining, no easier, readier, or perfecter plat and introduction, is (as yet) come to my imagination, then is the present and continuall service of threescore good and tall warlike ships, with twentie smaller barkes, and those 80. ships (great and smal) with 6660. apt men furnished, and all singularly well appointed for service both on sea and land, faithfully and diligently to be done in such circumspect and discreet order, as partly I have in other places declared, and further (upon good occasion offered) may declare.

This grand navie of peaceable king Edgar, of so many thousand ships, and they furnished with an hundred thousand men at the least, with all the final intents of those sea forces, so invincible, continually mainteined, the order of the execution of their service, the godly and Imperial successe thereof, are in a maner kingly lessons and prophetical incouragements to us left, even now to bee as provident for publique securitie as he was, to be as skilful of our sea right and royal limits, and wisely to finde our selves as able to recover and enjoy the same as he was, who could not chuse, but with the passing and yeerely sayling about this Brittish Albion, with all the lesser Isles next adjacent round about it, he could not chuse I say, but by such ful and peaceable possession, find himselfe (according to right, and his hearts desire) the true and soveraigne Monarch of all the British Ocean, environing any way his empire of Albion and Ireland, with the lesser Islands next adjacent: with memorial whereof, as with one very precious jewel Imperial, hee adorned the title and crowne of his regalitie, as with the testimonie annexed of the states and nobles of his Empire, to commit to perpetuall memorie, the stile of his chiefe worldly dignitie, in this very tenor of words before also remembred.

Ego Edgarus Anglorum Basileus, omniúmque Regum, Insularum, Oceaníque Britanniam circumjacentis,