[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ saith 34.]
After the deceasse of Chelricus king of the Westsaxons, we find
that Ceowlfe or Ceoloulph succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome,
and reigned twelue yéeres. He began his reigne (as should appéere
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ saith 607.]
by some writers) about the yeere of our Lord 597, and spent his time
for the more part in warres, not giuing place to idlenesse, but
séeking either to defend or inlarge the confines of his dominion. He
was the sonne of Cutha, which was the sonne of Kenrike, which was the
sonne of Certike. After Wibba or Wipha king of Mercia (who, nothing
inferiour to his father, did not onelie defend his kingdome, but
also inlarge it, by subduing the Britains on ech side) one Ceorlus
[Sidenote: Ceorlus king of Mercia.]
succéeded in that kingdome, being not his sonne but his kinsman.
This Ceorlus began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 594, as
[Sidenote: 594.]
Matth. West. recordeth.
[Sidenote: _Beda._ Edelferd.]
Ye haue heard that Edelferd, which otherwise is called also by
writers Edelfride, surnamed the wild, gouerned still the Northumbers,
which Edelferd did more damage to the Britains than anie one other
king of the English nation. None of them destroied their countries
more than he did: neither did anie prince make more of the Britains
tributaries, or inhabited more of their countries with English people
than he. Héerevpon Edan king of those Scots which inhabited Britaine,
being therewith mooued to see Edelfride prosper thus in his conquests,
came against him with a mightie armie: but ioining in battell with
Edelfride and his power, at a place called Degsastane, or Degsastone,
or Deglaston, he lost the most part of his people, and with the
residue that were left aliue, he escaped by flight. This was a
sore foughten battell, with much bloudshed on both parties. For
notwithstanding that the victorie remained with the Northumbers,
Theobaldus the brother of Edelferd was slaine, with all that part of
the English host which he gouerned: and it was fought in the
[Sidenote: 603.]
yéere of our Lord 603, in the 19 yeere of the reigne of the foresaid
Edelferd, and in the sixt yéere of Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons, and
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._]
in the first yéere of the emperor Phocas, or rather in the last yéere
[Sidenote: _Beda lib. 1. cap._ 34.]
of his predecessor Mauricius. From that day, till the daies of Beda,
not one of the Scotish kings durst presume to enter into Britaine
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ Sée in Scotland.]
againe to giue battell against the English nation, as Beda himselfe
writeth. But the Scotish writers make other report of this matter,
as in the historie of Scotland ye maie find recorded.
The Britains that dwelt about Chester, through their stoutnesse
prouoked the aforesaid Edelferd king of the Northumbers vnto warre:
wherevpon to tame their loftie stomachs, he assembled an armie & came
forward to besiege the citie of Chester, then called of the Britains
[Sidenote: Chester as yet in possession of the Britains.
_I. Leland_. _Wil. Malm._]
Carleon ardour deué. The citizens coueting rather to suffer all
things than a siege, and hauing a trust in their great multitude of
people, came foorth to giue batell abroad in the fields, whome he
compassing about with ambushes, got within his danger, and easilie
discomfited.
[Sidenote: _Beda_.]
It chanced that he had espied before the battell ioined (as Beda
saith) where a great number of the British priests were got aside
into a place somewhat out of danger, that they might there make their
intercession to God for the good spéed of their people, being then
readie to giue battell to the Northumbers. Manie of them were of that
[Sidenote: The number of moonks in the monasterie of Bangor.]
famous monasterie of Bangor, in the which it is said, that there
was such a number of moonks, that where they were diuided into seuen
seuerall parts, with their seuerall gouernors appointed to haue rule
ouer them, euerie of those parts conteined at the least thrée hundred
persons, the which liued altogither by the labour of their hands.
Manie therefore of those moonks hauing kept a solemne fast for thrée
daies togither, were come to the armie with other to make praier,
[Sidenote: Brocmale.]
hauing for their defender one Brocmale or Broemael, earle (or consull
as some call him) of Chester, which should preserue them (being giuen
to praier) from the edge of the enimies swoord.
King Edelferd hauing (as is said) espied these men, asked what they
were, and what their intent was; and being informed of the whole
circumstance and cause of their being there, he said; "Then if they
call to their God for his assistance against vs, suerlie though they
beare no armour, yet doo they fight against vs, being busied in praier
[Sidenote: The Britains discomfited & slaine.]
for our destruction." Wherevpon he commanded the first onset to be
giuen them, and after slue downe the residue of the British armie, not
without great losse of his owne people. Of those moonks and priests
which came to praie (as before is mentioned) there died at that
battell about the number of 12 hundred, so that fiftie of them onelie
escaped by flight. Brocmale, or Broemael at the first approch of the
enimies, turning his backe with his companie, left them (whom he
should haue defended) to be murthered through the enimies swoord. Thus
was the prophesie of Augustine fulfilled, though he was long before
departed this life (as Beda saith.)
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._]
¶ Héere is to be noted, if this battell was fought in the seuenth
yéere of Ceowlfe king of Westsaxon (as some haue written) and that
Augustine liued 12 yéeres after his entrance into the gouernment of
the sée of Canturburie (as some write) it is euident that he liued
foure yéeres after this slaughter made of the British priests and
moonks by Edelferd (as before is recited.) For Ceowlfe began his
reigne (as before is mentioned) about the yéere of our Lord 596,
and in the seuenth yeere of his reigne the battell was fought at
[Sidenote: _W. Harison_.]
Degsastane betwixt the English & the Scots, which chanced in
the yéere of our Lord 604, as Beda himselfe recordeth. A late
chronographer running vpon this matter, and preciselie setting downe
his collection, saith that Athelbright, or Edelfride, K. of the
Northumbers, & Ethelbert K. of Kent, hauing Augustine in their
companie, in the eight yéere after his arriuall, made warre vpon
such Britains as refused to obserue the canons of the late councell
mentioned 603, and killed 1200 moonks of the monasterie of Bangor,
which laboured earnestlie, and in the sweat of their browes, thereby
to get their liuings, &c. Verelie Galf. Mon. writeth, that Ethelbert
king of Kent (after he saw the Britains to disdaine and denie their
subiection vnto Augustine, by whome he was conuerted to the christian
[Sidenote: _Acts and monuments, pag. 160_]
faith) stirred vp Edelferd king of the Northumbers to warre
against the Britains. But heereof Maister Fox doubteth, and therefore
saith, that of vncerteine things he hath nothing certeinlie to saie,
much lesse to iudge. But now to the matter where we left.
After that king Edelferd had made slaughter of the Britains (as before
is rehearsed) he entred the citie of Chester, and from thence marched
towards Bangor. The Britains in the meane time had assembled
[Sidenote: Blederike duke of Cornwall, Margadud king of
Southwales, Cadwane k. of Northwales.]
their power vnder thrée capteins, that is to say, Blederike duke
of Cornewall, Margadud king of Southwales, and Cadwane king of
Northwales. These ioining in battell with Edelferd, slue 10066 of his
souldiers, and constreined him to flée out of the field for safegard
of his life, after he had receiued manie wounds. On the part of
[Sidenote: _Galf. Mon._]
the Britains the forsaid Blederike, which was chiefe capteine of the
field in that battell, chanced to be slaine. Thus saith Gal. Mon.
But the ancient writers of the English kings (as Beda, William
Malmesburie, and Henrie Huntington), make no mention of this last
battell and victorie obteined by the Britains in maner as aboue is
expressed in Galfrids booke. But contrarilie we find, that Edelferd
hauing such good successe in his businesse abroad as he could wish,
[Sidenote: Edwine the sonne of king Alla banished.]
vpon purpose to auoid danger at home, banished Edwine the sonne of
Alla or Elle, a yoong gentleman of great towardnesse, latelie come to
the kingdome of the Northumbers by the death of his father. But this
Edwine in time of his exile, being long tossed from place to place,
and finding no stedfast friendship now in time of his aduersitie, at
length came to Redwald, that was king at that time of the Eastangles,
the third from Vffa, and successor to Titullus, which Titullus did
[Sidenote: 592.]
succéed next after the said Vffa, the first king of Eastangles
[Sidenote: Edelferd.]
(as before is mentioned.) This Redwald did verie honourablie
interteine Edwine, insomuch that Edelferd being informed thereof, was
highlie displeased, and sent ambassadors vnto Redwald, to require him
either to deliuer Edwine into his hands, or else if he refused so to
doo, to declare and denounce vnto him open warres.
Redwald incouraged by his wife (that counselled him in no wise to
betraie his friend, to whome he had giuen his faith, for the menaces
of his enimie) assembled foorthwith an armie, and at the sudden
comming vpon Edelferd, assaulted him yer he could haue time to
[Sidenote: 542.]
assemble his people togither. But yet the said Edelferd, though he was
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
beset and brought in danger at vnwares, died not vnreuenged: for
putting himselfe in defense with such power as he could then get
togither, he boldlie incountred the enimies, and giuing battell, slue
[Sidenote: Ethelferd slaine.]
Remerius the sonne of Redwald, and after was slaine himselfe,
hauing reigned ouer the Northumbers about 22 yéeres. This battell was
fought néere to the water of Idle.
The said Edelferd had issue by his wife Acca, the daughter of Alla,
and sister to Edwine, two sonnes, Oswald being about two yéeres of
age, and Oswin about foure yéeres, the which (their father being
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._ _Matt. West._ saith 34.]
thus slaine) were by helpe of their gouernours conueied awaie into
Scotland with all spéed that might be made. Ceowlfe king of the
Westsaxons, after he had reigned the space of 12 yeeres, departed this
life, who in his time had mainteined great warre against manie
[Sidenote: The Southsaxons susteine the greater losse.]
of his neighbours, the which for briefenesse I passe ouer. One great
battell he fought against them of Sussex, in which the armies on
both sides sustained great damage, but the greater losse fell to the
Southsaxons.
* * * * *
_Cinegiscus and his sonne Richelinus reigne iointlie ouer the
Westsaxons, they fight with the Britains; the indeuour of Laurence
archbishop of Cantrburie in setting religion at large, and seeking a
vniformitie in catholike orders, he and his fellow-bishops write to
the cleargie of Britaine and Scotland for a reformation, Melitus
bishop of London goeth to Rome, the cause why, and what he brought at
his returns from pope Boniface._