15. Ceaulin, king of Weft-Saxons, for tyranny depos'd, and banish'd, and dying. 16. The flaughter of the Monks of Bangor by Edelfride stirr'd up, as is faid, by Ethelbert, and he by Austin the Monk, because the Britons would not receive the rites of the Roman Church. See Bede, Geffrey Monmouth, and Holinfhed, p. 104, which must begin with the convocation of British Clergy by Austin to determin fuperfluous points, which by them was refufed. 17. Edwin by vifion promis'd the kingdom of Northumberland on promife of his converfion, and therein eftablish'd by Rodoald king of East-Angles. 18. Ofwin king of Deira flain by Ofwie, his friend, king of Bernitia, through inftigation of flatterers. See Holinfhed, p. 115. 19. Sigibert of the Eaft-Angles keeping company with a perfon excommunicated, flain by the fame man in his house, according as the bishop Cedda had foretold. 20. Egfride king of the Northumbers flain in battel against the Picts, having before wafted Ireland, and made war for no reafon on men that ever lov'd the English: forewarn'd also by Cuthbert not to fight with the Picts. 21. Kinewulf, King of Weft-Saxons, flain by Kineard in the house of one of his concubines. 22. Gunthildis, the Danish lady, with her husband Palingus, and her fon, flain by appointment of the traitor Edrick in king Ethelred's days. Holinfhed, L. 7. c. 5. together with the maffacre of the Danes at 23. Brightrick of Weft-Saxons poifon'd by his wife Ethelburge Offa's daughter, who dies miferably also in beggary after adultery in a nunnery. Speed in Bithrick. 24. Alfred in difguife of a miniftrel discovers the Danes negligence, fets on with a mighty flaughter; about the fame time the Devonshire men rout Hubba and flay him. A Heroical poem may be founded fomewhere in Alfred's reign, especially at his iffuing out of Edelingfey on the Danes, whose actions are well like those of U lyffes. 25. Athelstan expofing his brother Edwin to the fea, and repenting. 26. Edgar flaying Ethelwold for false play in wooing, wherein may be fet out his pride, luft, which he thought to close by favoring Monks and building Monasteries: alfo the difpofition of woman in Elfrida towards her husband. 27. Swane befieging London, and Ethelred repuls'd by the Londoners. 28. Harold flain in battel by William the Norman. The first scene may begin with the ghost of Alfred, the fecond son of Ethelred, flain in cruel manner by Godwin Harold's father, his mother and brother diffuading him. 29. Edmond Ironfide defeating the Danes at Brentford, with his combat with Canute. 3 30. Edmond 30. Edmond Ironfide murder'd by Edrick the trai tor, and reveng'd by Canute. 31. Gunilda, daughter to king Canute and Emma, Wife to Henry the third Emperor, accus'd of inchaftity, is defended by her English page in combat against a giant-like adversary; who by him at two blows is flain, &c. Speed in the Life of Canute. 32. Hardiknute dying in his cups, an example to riot. 33. Edward Confeffor's divorceing and imprisoning his noble wife Editha, Godwin's daughter; wherein is fhowed his over-affection to strangers the cause of Godwin's infurrection, wherein Godwin's forbearance of battel 'prais'd, and the English moderation on both fides magnified. His flackness to redress the corrupt Clergy, and fuperftitious pretence of chastity. ABRAM from MOREA, or ISAAC redeem'd. The Oeconomy may be thus. The fifth or fixth day after Abraham's departure, Eleazer Abram's fteward, firft alone, and then with the Chorus, difcourfe of Abraham's strange voyage, their mistress' forrow and perplexity accompanied with frightful dreams; and tell the manner of his rifing by night, taking his fervants and his fon with him. Next may come forth Sarah herself; after the Chorus, or Ifmael, or Agar; next some shepherd or company of merchants paffing through the mount in the time that Abram was in the midwork, relate to Sarah what they faw. Hence lamentation, fears, wonders; the matter in the mean while divulg'd. Aner or Efchcol, or Mamre Abram's confederates come to the houfe of Abram to be more certain, or to bring news; in the mean while difcourfing as the world would, of fuch an action divers ways, bewailing the fate of so noble a man faln from his reputation, either through divine juftice, or fuperftition, or coveting to do fome notable act through zeal. At length a fervant fent from Abram relates the truth; and last he himself comes with a great train of Melchizedec, whose shepherds being fecret eye-witneffes of all paffages had related to their mafter, and he conducted his friend Abraham home with joy. BAPTISTES. The Scene, the Court. Beginning from the morning of Herod's birth-day. Herod by fome Counsellor perfuaded * on his birthday to release John Baptift, purposes it, caufes him to be fent for to the court from prifon. The Queen hears of it, takes occafion to pafs where he is, on purpose, that under pretence of reconciling to him, or feeking to draw a kind retraction from him of his cenfure on the marriage; to which end she sends a courtier before to found whether he might be perfuaded to mitigate his * Or elfe the Queen may plot under pretence of begging for his liberty, to feek to draw him into a fnare by his freedom of speech. fentence, fentence, which not finding, fhe herself craftily affays, and on his conftancy founds an accufation to Herod of a contumacious affront on fuch a day before many peers, prepares the king to some paffion, and at last by her daughter's dancing effects it. There may prologize the Spirit of Philip, Herod's brother. It may alfo be thought, that Herod had well bedew'd himself with wine, which made him grant the easier to his wife's daughter. Some of his disciples also, as to congratulate his liberty, may be brought in, with whom after certain command of his death many compaffioning words of his disciples, bewailing his youth cut off in his glorious courfe, he telling them his work is done, and wishing them to follow Chrift his master. SODOM. The title, Cupid's funeral pile. Sodom burning. The Chorus confifts of Lot's fhepherds come to the city about fome affairs await in the evening their master's return from his evening walk toward the citygates. He brings with him two young men or youths of noble form. After likely discourses prepares for their entertainment. By then fupper is ended, the gallantry of the town pass by in proceffion with mufic and fong to the temple of Venus Urania or Peor, and understanding of two noble ftrangers arriv'd, they fend two of their choiceft youth with the priest to invite them to their city folemnities, it being an honour that |