Howbeit this is certeine, that the sundrie murtherings and banishments of their kings and dukes giue vs greatlie to gesse, that there was but sorie obedience vsed in the countrie, whereby for no small space of time that kingdome remained without an head gouernor, being set open to the prey and iniurie of them that were borderers vnto it, and likewise vnto strangers.  For the Danes, which in those daies were great rouers, had landed before in the north parts, & spoiled the [Sidenote:  This chanced in the yeere of our Lord 700, as Simon Dun. saith.] abbeie of Lindesferne otherwise called holie Iland, and perceiuing the fruitfulnesse of the countrie, and easinesse for their people to inuade it (bicause that through their priuate quarelling there was little publike resistance to be looked for) at their comming home, [Sidenote:  The Danes inuade Northumberland.] entised their countriemen to make voiages into England, and so landing in Northumberland did much hurt, and obtained a great part of the countrie in manner without resistance, bicause there was no ruler there able to raise anie power of men by publike authoritie to incounter with the common enimies, whereby the countrie was brought into great miserie, partlie with war of the Danes, and ciuill dissention amongest the nobles and people themselues, no man being of authoritie (I say) able to reforme such misorders.  Yet we find [Sidenote:  The Danes vanquished.  This was in anno 794 as Simon Dun. saith.] that the nobles and capteines of the countrie assembling togither at one time against the Danes that were landed about Tinmouth, constreined them by sharpe fight to flee backe to their ships, and tooke certeine of them in the field, whose heads they stroke off there vpon the shore.  The other that got to their ships, suffered great losse of men, and likewise of their vessels by tempest.

¶ Here then we are taught that the safest way to mainteine a monarchie, is when all degrees liue in loialtie.  And that it is necessarie there should be one supereminent, vnto whome all the residue should stoope:  this fraile bodie of ours may giue vs sufficient instruction.  For reason ruleth in the mind as souereigne, and hath subiect vnto it all the affections and inward motions, yea the naturall actions are directed by hir gouernement:  whereto if the will be obedient there cannot creepe in anie outrage or disorder.  Such should be the sole regiment of a king in his kingdome; otherwise he may be called “Rex a regendo, as Mons a mouendo.”  For there is not a greater enimie to that estate, than to admit participants in roialtie, which as it is a readie way to cause a subuersion of a monarchie; so it is the shortest cut ouer to a disordered anarchie.  But to proceed in the historie.