[Sidenote: EDILRED.]
After Vulfhere, his brother Edilred or Ethelred succéeded in
gouernment of the kingdome of Mercia. This Edilred inuaded the
kingdome of Kent with a mightie armie, in the yéere of our Lord
[Sidenote: 677. _Hen. Hunt_.]
677, destroieng the countrie afore him, not sparing churches nor
abbeies, but spoiling the same without respect, as well as other
common places. King Lothaire durst not appéere in the field to giue
him battell, so that Edilred went thorough the countrie, destroied
the citie of Rochester, and with great riches gotten by the spoile he
returned home. Putta the bishop of Rochester, after that his church
was spoiled and defaced by the enimies, went to Sexvulfe bishop of
Mercia, and there obteining of him a small cure, and a portion of
ground, remained in that countrie, not once labouring to restore his
church of Rochester to the former state, but went about in Mercia to
teach song, and instruct such as would learne musicke, wheresoeuer he
was required, or could get intertainment.
Heerevpon the archbishop Theodore consecrated one William bishop
of Rochester in place of Putta, and after, when the said William
constreined by pouertie, left that church, Theodore placed one
[Sidenote: 678.]
Gebmound in his stéed. In the yéere of our Lord 678, in the moneth of
[Sidenote: A blasing star. _Matth. West_. _Beda. lib. 4 ca. 12._
Bishop Wifrid banished.]
August, a blasing starre appéered, with a long bright beame like
to a piller. It was séene euerie morning for the space of thrée
moneths togither. The same Egfrid king of Northumberland, banished
bishop Wilfrid vpon displeasure taken with him, out of his sée, and
then were two bishops ordeined in his place, to gouerne the church of
[Sidenote: Hagustald. Hexham. Eadhidus. Lindesferne. Holie Iland.]
the Northumbers, the one named Bosa at Yorke, and the other called
Eata at Hagustald or Lindesferne. Also one Eadhidus was ordeined about
the same time bishop of Lindsey, the which prouince king Egfrid had of
late conquered and taken from Vulfhere the late king of Mercia, whome
he ouercame in battell, and droue him out of that countrie. The
said thrée bishops were consecrated at Yorke by the archbishop of
Canturburie Theodorus, the which within thrée yéeres after ordained
two bishops more in that prouince of the Northumbers, that is to
say, Tumbert at Hagustald, Eata that was appointed to remaine at
Lindesferne, & Trumuine was ordeined to haue the cure of the prouince
of those Picts which as then were vnder the English dominion. Also
bicause Edilred king of Mercia recouered the countrie of Lindsey, and
[Sidenote: The church of Rippon.]
ioined it to his dominion, bishop Eadhedus comming from thence,
was appointed to gouerne the church of Rippon.
After that bishop Wilfrid was expelled out of his diocesse and
prouince of the Northumbers, he went to Rome, and returning from
thence, came into the kingdome of the Southsaxons, the which
conteining seuen thousand housholds or families, as yet was not
[Sidenote: Wilfrid by licence of king Edilwalke preacheth the gospel
to them of Sussex.]
conuerted to the christian faith. Wherefore the said Wilfrid began
there to preach the gospell with licence of king Edilwalke, who (as
before is mentioned) was conuerted and baptised in Mercia by the
procurement of king Wolfher, that then became his godfather, and gaue
him at the same time the Ile of Wight, and the prouince of the people
ancientlie called Meanuari, which he had woon from the Westsaxons.
Bishop Wilfrid then by king Edilwalke his furtherance and helpe
baptised the chiefest lords and gentlemen of that prouince. But
certein priests baptised the residue of the people, either then or in
the time following.
[Sidenote: Lacke of raine.]
¶ It chanced that for the space of thrée yéeres (as it is said)
before the comming thither of bishop Wilfrid, there had fallen no
raine from the aire within that prouince of the Southsaxons, so that
the people were brought into great miserie by reson of famine, which
through want of necessarie fruits of the earth sore afflicted the
whole countrie, insomuch that no small numbers threw themselues
hedlong into the sea, despairing of life in such lacke of necessarie
vittels. But as God would, the same day that Wilfrid began to minister
the sacrament of baptisme, there came downe swéet and plentifull
showers of raine, so watering the earth, that thereby great store
of all fruits plentifullie tooke root, and yéelded full increase in
growth, to the great comfort and reliefe of all the people, which
before were in maner starued and lost through want of food.
[Sidenote: Catching of fish with nets.]
Bishop Wilfrid also taught them in that countrie the maner how to
catch fish with nets, where before that time, they had no great skill
in anie kind of fishing, except it were in catching éeles. Hereby the
said bishop grew there in great estimation with the people, so that
his words were the better credited amongst them, for that through him
they receiued so great benefits, God by such meanes working in the
peoples hearts a desire to come to the vnderstanding of his lawes. The
king also gaue vnto Wilfrid a place called Sealesew, compassed about
on each side (except on the west halfe) with the sea, conteining 87
housholds or families, where he built an abbeie, and baptised all
his tenants there, amounting to the number of 250 bondmen and
[Sidenote: Bondmen made trulie free.]
bondwomen, whome he made frée both in bodie and soule: for he did
not onelie baptise them, but also infranchised them of all bodilie
seruitude and bondage.
In this meane while manie things happened in other parts of this land,
and first in the yeere after the appéering of the blasing starre
before mentioned, a mightie battell was fought betwixt the said Egfrid
and Edilred king of Mercia, néere to the riuer of Trent, where Alswine
the brother of king Egfrid was slaine, with manie other of the
Northumbers, so that king Egfrid was constreined to returne home with
losse. The archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus perceiuing that great
warre and effusion of bloud was like to follow therevpon, trauelled so
in the matter betwixt them, that they were made friends, and Egfrid
had a péece of monie in recompense of his losses. The foresaid
[Sidenote: 679.]
battell was fought in the yéere of our Lord 679, and in the yeere
following, that is to say, in the yéere of our Lord 680, which
[Sidenote: 680.]
was also in the tenth yéere of the reigne of Egfrid king of
Northumberland, the sixt yéere of Edelred king of Mercia, the 17 of
Aldvulfe king of Eastangles, and in the 7 of Lother king of Kent.
[Sidenote: A synod at Hatfield.]
The archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus held another synod at
[Sidenote: Articles subscribed.]
Hatfield, about the 15 kalends of October, in the which all the
clergie there present subscribed to certeine articles touching the
beléefe of the trinitie of persons, in vnitie of the Godhead of the
like substance, and also of the same vnitie in trinitie, according to
the true faith of the church of God. Moreouer, they acknowledged
by the like subscription, the fiue generall councels, of Nice,
of Constantinople the first, of Ephesus, of Calcedon, and of
Constantinople the second, with the synod also holden at Rome in
the daies of Martin bishop of Rome about the yéere of the emperour
Constantine. At this synod holden at Hatfield, was present one Iohn
the archchanter of S. Peters church at Rome, sent into this land of
purpose to bring from hence a certificat vnto pope Agatho of the
agréement of the English church in matters of faith, with other
churches of the christian world: but the foresaid archchanter died by
the way in France, as he returned homewards, and was buried at Towers
in Towraine.
[Sidenote: _Bale_. The abbesse Hilda. _Beda_.]
The same yéere that famous woman Hilda abbesse of Whitbie departed
this life, or (as other say) fiue yéeres after, hauing first beene
deteined long with gréeuous sickenesse. She was the daughter of one
Herrericus the nephue of king Edwin, and conuerted to the faith of
Christ at the preaching of bishop Pauline, and afterwards instructed
by bishop Aidan, she professed hirselfe a nun, applieng hir whole
studie to the reading of the scriptures, to praier, & other godlie
exercises. She builded the abbeie of Whitbie, wherein were placed both
men and women, with such an equalitie in all things, that there was
[Sidenote: _Bale_. _Ran. Cest._ _Matth. West._ _Beda_.]
no rich person amongst them, nor anie that wanted things necessarie.
She departed this life on the 15 kalends of December, being 66 yéeres
of age. As some haue written she argued stoutlie on bishop Colmans
part, at the disputation holden in the monasterie of Whitbie, in the
[Sidenote: _Henrie Hunt._]
yéere of Grace 664, whereof ye haue heard before. About the yéere of
our Lord 682, that is to say, in the seuenth yere of Centwine or
Centiuinus king of Westsaxons, the same Centwine fought with the
[Sidenote: The Britains discomfited.]
Britains, and ouercame them in battell, pursuing them with fire and
sword vnto the sea side.
¶ Thus (at this time as also at diuerse other times) they were
discomfited and put to flight, being a people allotted and shared out
as it were to suffer many an ouerthrow, and abide manie a sharpe and
shamefull repulse at the hands of their enimies, who conuerted the
distresse of that people to their profit, and tooke pleasure in the
extreamitie of the miseries wherein they were plunged, as may be
obserued by the pitifull alteration of their state vnder diuers
gouernours, and speciallie vnder the Danish dominion, who kept them in
[Sidenote: _Gorop. in Gota danica lib. 7. pag. 759_.]
no lesse vile seruitude than Pharao did the Hebrues at the making of
bricke & chopping of straw. So that some thinke this land to be
corruptlie named Britania, but ought rather to be called Bridania,
that is, _Libera Dania, siue regio in qua Dani liberè viuant_, for
they liued as lords in the land, & did (for the time being) what they
listed. But of this matter more shall be spoken hereafter in place
conuenient.
* * * * *
_Cadwallader king of Britaine, the people are brought into great
miserie, and he forced to flee the land, he dieth at Rome, the British
writers noted of error, Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons, the kingdome
is diuided; the valorous mind of Ceadwalla, he is forced to forsake
his countrie, he vanquisheth and killeth Edilwalke king of the
Westsaxons, his returne into his kingdome with reuenge vpon Berthun
duke of Sussex and other his heauie friends, his vow if he might
conquer the Ile of Wight, his bountifull offer to bishop Wilfrid,
the Ile of Wight receiueth the faith; Ceadwalla inuadeth Kent, of a
barbarous warriour he becommeth a religious christian, his vertues,
his death and buriall at Rome; Egfrid king of Northumberland inuadeth
Ireland, he is slaine by Brudeus king of the Picts; the neglect of
good counsell is dangerous; Etheldreda a wife and a widow (hauing
vowed chastitie) liued a virgine 12 yeeres with hir husband Egfride,
she was called saint Auderie of Elie._