The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of
England (7 of 8), by Raphael Holinshed

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Title: Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (7 of 8)
The Seventh Boke of the Historie of England

Author: Raphael Holinshed

Release Date: August 29, 2005 [EBook #16617]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORIE OF ENGLAND ***

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THE SEVENTH BOKE

OF THE

HISTORIE OF ENGLAND.

* * * * *

_Egelred succeedeth Edward the martyr in the kingdoms of England, the
decaie of the realme in his reigne, Dunstane refusing to consecrate
him is therevnto inforced, Dunstans prophesies of the English people
and Egelred their king, his slouth and idlenes accompanied with other
vices, the Danes arriue on the coasts of Kent and make spoile of manie
places; warre betwixt the king and the bishop of Rochester, archbishop
Dunstans bitter denunciation against the king because he would not
be pacified with the bishop of Rochester without moneie; Dunstans
parentage, his strange trance, and what a woonderfull thing he did
during the time it lasted, his education and bringing vp, with what
good qualities he was indued, an incredible tale of his harpe, how
he was reuoked from louing and lusting after women whereto he was
addicted, his terrible dreame of a rough beare, what preferments he
obteined by his skill in the expounding of dreames_.

THE FIRST CHAPTER.

[Sidenote: EGELRED.]
In the former booke was discoursed the troubled state of this land
by the manifold and mutinous inuasions of the Danes; who though they
sought to ingrosse the rule of euerie part and parcell therof into
their hands; yet being resisted by the valiantnesse of the gouernors
supported with the aid of their people, they were disappointed of
their expectation, and receiued manie a dishonorable or rather
reprochfull repulse at their aduersaries hands. Much mischiefe
doubtlesse they did, and more had doone, if they had not beene met
withall in like measure of extremiti