About the same time, after that Suidhelme king of the Eastsaxons was
dead, Sighere the son of Sigbert the little, and Sebbie the son of
Suward succéeded him in gouernement of that kingdome, albeit they
[Sidenote: _Beda. lib. 3. cap. 30_.]
were subiect vnto Vulfhere the king of Mercia. Sighere in that time,
when the great mortalitie reigned, renounced the faith of Christ, with
that part of the people which he had in gouernement, for both the same
Sighere and others of his chiefest lords, and also part of his commons
louing this life, and not regarding the life to come, began to repaire
their idolish churches, and fell to the worshipping of idols, as
though thereby they should haue beene defended from that mortalitie.
But his associat Sebbie with great deuotion continued stedfast in the
faith which he had receiued.
King Vulfhere being informed of Seghers apostasie, and how the people
[Sidenote: Bishop Iaruman or Iaroman.]
in his part of the prouince of Eastsaxons were departed from the
faith, sent thither bishop Iaruman or Iaroman, that was successour
vnto Trumhere, which vsed such diligence and godlie meanes, that he
reduced the said king and all his people vnto the right beliefe, so
as the idolish synagogs were destroied, and the idols also with their
altars quite beaten downe, the Christian churches againe set open, and
the name of Christ eftsoones called vpon amongest the people, coueting
now rather to die in him with hope of resurrection in the world to
come, than to liue in the seruice of idols, spotted with the filth
of errors and false beleefe. And thus when bishop Iaroman had
accomplished the thing for the which he was sent, he returned into
Mercia.
After this, when the said Iaroman was departed this life, king
Vulfhere sent vnto the archbishop Theodorus, requiring him to prouide
the prouince of the Mercies of a new bishop. Theodorus not minding
to ordeine anie new bishop at that time, required Oswie king of
Northumberland, that Bishop Cead might come into Mercia to exercise
the office of bishop there. This Cead liued as it were a priuat life
at that time in his monasterie of Lestingham, for Wilfrid held the
bishoprike of Yorke, extending his authoritie ouer all Northumberland
& amongest the Picts also, so farre as king Oswies dominion stretched.
Therefore Cead hauing licence to go into Mercia, was gladlie receiued
of king Vulfhere, and well enterteined, in so much that the said
king gaue vnto him lands and possessions conteining 50 families
or housholds to build a monasterie in a certeine place within the
countrie of Lindsey called Etbearne. But the sée of his bishoprike was
assigned to him at Lichfield in Staffordshire, where he made him a
house néere to the church, in the which he with 7 or 8 other of his
brethren in religion vsed in an oratorie there to praie and reade,
so often as they had leasure from labour and businesse of the world.
Finallie, after he had gouerned the church of Mercia by the space of
two yeares and an halfe, he departed this life, hauing 7 daies warning
giuen him (as it is reported) from aboue, before he should die, after
a miraculous maner, which because in the iudgement of the most it may
séeme méere fabulous, we will omit and passe ouer. His bodie was first
buried in the church of our ladie, but after that the church of saint
Peter the apostle were builded, his bones were translated into the
same.
[Sidenote: 671. _Matth. West._]
In the yeare of our Lord 671, which was the second yeare after
that Theodorus the archbishop came into this land, Oswie king of
Northumberland was attacked with a grieuous sicknesse, and died
thereof the 15 kalends of March, in the 58 yeare of his age, after
[Sidenote: EGFRID. _Beda. lib. 4. cap 5_. _Matth. West._ 673.]
he had reigned 28 yeares complet. After Oswie, his sonne Egfrid
succéeded in rule of the kingdome of Northumberland, in the third
yeare of whose reigne, that is to say, in the yeare of our Lord 673,
Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie kept a synod at Herford, the
first session whereof began the 24 of September, all the bishops of
this land being present either in person or by their deputies, as
[Sidenote: A synod holden at Herford.]
Bisi bishop of Estangle, Wilfrid of Northumberland by his deputie
Putta bishop of Rochester, Eleutherius bishop of Westsaxon, and
Wilfrid bishop of Mercia. In the presence of these prelats, the
[Sidenote: Articles proponed by Theodore.]
archbishop shewed a booke, wherein he had noted ten chapters or
articles taken out of the booke of the canons, requiring that the same
might be receiued.
1 The first chapter was, that the feast of Easter should be kept on
the sundaie following the fourtéenth day of the first moneth.
2 The second, that no bishop should intermedle in an others diocesse,
but be contented with the cure of his flocke committed to him.
3 The third, that no bishop should disquiet in anie thing anie
monasterie consecrated to God, nor take by violence anie goods that
belonged vnto the same.
4 The fourth, that bishops being moonks should not go from
monasterie to monasterie, except by sufferance and permission of
their abbats, & should continue in the same obedience wherein they
stood before.
5 The fift, that none of the cleargie should depart from his bishop
to run into anie other diocesse, nor comming from anie other place
should be admitted, except he brought letters of testimonie with
him. But if anie such chanced to be receiued, if he refused to
returne, being sent for home, both he and his receiuer should be
excommunicated.
6 The sixt, that bishops and other of the cleargie being strangers
shold hold them content with the benefit of hospitalitie, & should
not take in hand anie priestlie office, without licence of the
bishop, in whose diocesse he chanced so to be remaining.
7 The seuenth, that twice in the yeare a synod should be kept, but
because of diuers impediments herein, it was thought good to them
all, that in the kalends of August a synod should be kept once in
the yeare, at a certeine place called Cloofeshough.
8 The eighth chapter was, that no one bishop should by ambition
séeke to be preferred aboue another, but that euerie one should
know the time and order of his consecration.
9 The ninth, that as the number of the christians increased, so
should there be more bishops ordeined.
10 The tenth was touching mariages, that none should contract
matrimonie with anie person, but with such as it should be
lawfull for him by the orders of the church: none should match
with their kinsfolke, no man should forsake his wife, except
(as the gospell teacheth) for cause of fornication. But if anie
man did put awaie his wife which he had lawfullie married, if
he would be accounted a true Christian, he might not be coopled
with an other, but so remaine, or else be reconciled to his owne
wife.
These articles, being intreated of and concluded, were confirmed
with the subscribing of all their hands, so as all those that did
go against the same, should be disgraded of their priesthood, and
separated from the companie of them all.
[Sidenote: Bisi bishop of the Eastangles.]
The forsaid Bisi that was bishop of the Eastangles, and present at
this synod, was sucessor unto Bonifacius, which Bonifacius held that
sée 17 yéeres, and then departing this life, Bisi was made bishop of
that prouince, and ordeined by the archbishop Theodore. This Bisi at
length was so visited with sicknesse, that he was not able to exercise
the ministration, so that two bishops were then & there elected and
consecrated for him, the one named Aecci, and the other Baldwin.
[Sidenote: 872. (sic, should read 672.)]
In this meane while, that is, about the yéere of our Lord 872(sic),
or in the beginning of 873(sic), as Harison noteth, Kenwalch king of
the Westsaxons departed this life, after he had reigned 30 yéeres.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ de reg. lib. 1.]
This Kenwalch was such a prince, as in the beginning he was to be
compared with the woorst kind of rulers, but in the middest and later
end of his reigne, to be matched with the best. His godlie zeale borne
towards the aduancing of the christian religion well appéered in the
building of the church at Winchester, where the bishops sée of all
that prouince was then placed. His wife Segburga ruled the kingdome of
Westsaxons after him, a woman of stoutnesse inough to haue atchiued
acts of woorthie remembrance, but being preuented by death yer she had
reigned one whole yéere, she could not shew anie full proofe of hir
noble courage. I remember that Matth. West. maketh other report
heereof, declaring that the nobilitie remooued hir from the
gouernment. But I rather follow William Malmesburie in this matter.
[Sidenote: Escuinus. _Will Malmes._]
To procéed, after Segburga was departed this life, or deposed (if
you will néeds haue it so) Escuinus or Elcuinus, whose grandfather
called Cuthgislo, the brother of K. Kinigils, succéeding in gouernment
of the Westsaxons, reigned about the space of two yéeres: and after
his deceasse, one Centiuinus or Centwine tooke vpon him the rule, and
continued therein the space of nine yeeres. But Beda saith that these
two ruled at one time, and diuided the kingdom betwixt them.
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
Elcuinus fought against Vulfhere king of Mercia, a great number of men
being slaine on both parties, though Vulfhere yet had after a maner
the vpper hand, as some haue written.
[Sidenote: _Beda lib. & ca. supr. dict._]
In the same yéere that the synod was holden at Herford, that is to
say, in the yéere of our Lord 673, Egbert the king of Kent departed
this life in Iulie, and left the kingdome to his brother Lothaire,
[Sidenote: Io. Lothaire.]
which held the same eleuen yéeres, & seuen moneths. Some haue written
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm. Beda. de reg. lib. 1_.]
that king Egbert by the suggestion of one Thunnir, who had the
chiefe rule of the kingdome vnder him, suffered the same Thunnir in
lamentable maner to kill the two innocent sonnes of Ermenredus the
brother of king Ercombert, that was father vnto King Egbert, for
[Sidenote: Thunnir. A vile murther.]
doubt least they being towardlie yoong gentlemen, might in time grow
so into fauour with the people, that it should be easie for them to
depriue both Egbert, and his issue of the kingdome. Also, that they
were priuilie put to death, and secretlie buried at the first, but the
place of their buriall immediatlie being shewed after a miraculous
maner, their bodies long after in the daies of king Egilred the sonne
of king Edgar, were taken vp, & conueied vnto Ramsey, and there
buried. And although Egbert being giltie of the death of those his
coosens, did sore repent him, for that he vnderstood they died
giltlesse, yet his brother Lothaire was thought to be punished for
that offense, as after shall be shewed.
[Sidenote: Bishop Winfrid deposed.]
Winfrid bishop of the Mercies, for his disobedience in some point
[Sidenote: Sexvulfe ordeined bishop of the Mercies. 685, as
Matth. Westm. saith, Bishop Erkenwald.]
was depriued by archbishop Theodore, and one Sexvulfe that was the
builder and also the abbat of the monasterie Meidhamsted, otherwise
called Peterborough, was ordeined and consecrated in his place. About
the same time, Erkenwald was ordeined bishop of the Eastsaxons, and
appointed to hold his sée in the citie of London. This Erkenwald was
reputed to be a man of great holinesse and vertue. Before he was made
bishop, he builded two abbeies, the one of moonks at Chertsey in
Southerie, where he himselfe was abbat, and the other of nuns at
[Sidenote: Ethelburga.]
Berking, within the prouince of the Eastsaxons, where he placed
his sister Ethelburga, a woman also highlie estéemed for hir
[Sidenote: _Iohn Capgraue_.]
deuout kind of life. She was first brought vp and instructed in the
rules of hir profession by one Hildelitha a nun of the parties beyond
the seas, whome Erkenwald procured to come ouer for that purpose.
[Sidenote: Waldhere. Sebbie king of Eastsaxons.
_Beda. lib. 4. cap._ 16.]
After Erkenwald, one Waldhere was made bishop of London, in whose
daies Sebbie king of the Eastsaxons, after he had reigned thirtie
yéeres, being now vexed with a gréeuous sicknesse, professed himselfe
a moonke: which thing he would haue doone long before, if his wife had
not kept him backe. He died shortlie after within the citie of London,
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm_.]
and was buried in the church of saint Paule. King Sighere, which in
the beginning reigned with him, and gouerned a part of the Eastsaxons,
was departed this life before, so that in his latter time, the
foresaid Sebbie had the gouernment of the whole prouince of the
[Sidenote: 675.]
Eastsaxons, and left the same to his sonnes Sighard and Sewfred.
About the yéere of our Lord 675, Vulfhere king of Mercia departed this
life, after he had reigned (as some say) 19 yéeres, but (as other
affirme) he reigned but 17 yéeres. Howbeit they which reckon 19,
include the time that passed after the slaughter of Penda, wherein
Oswie and Peada held the aforesaid kingdome.
* * * * *
_Edilred king of Mercia inuadeth the kingdome of Kent, and maketh
great waste without resistance of Lothaire the king thereof, Putta
of a bishop becommeth a poore curat and teacheth musicke, Wilfred
deposed from his bishoprike by king Egfrid vpon displeasure, he
preacheth the gospell in Sussex by the licence of king Edilwalke,
no raine in Sussex for the space of three yeeres, the woord and
sacraments bring blessings with them; bishop Wilfrid the first teacher
to catch fish with nets, the people haue him in great reuerence, a
great and bloudie battell betweene Egfrid & king Edilred, they are
reconciled by the meanes of archbishop Theodore; a synod holden at
Hatfield, the clergie subscribe to certeine articles, of Hilda the
famous abbesse of Whitbie_.