[Sidenote: CADWALLADER.]
But now to returne vnto that which is found in the British
histories, by the tenor wherof it should appeare, that when their king
Cadwallo was dead, his son Cadwallader succéeded him in gouernement
[Sidenote: 676 saith _Matth. West._]
of the Britains, in the yéere of our Lord 678, which was about the 10
yéere of the emperour Constantius Paganotus, and in the 13 yéere of
[Sidenote: _Galfrid._]
the reigne of Childericus king of France. This Cadwallader, being
the sonne of Cadwallo, was begot by him of the halfe sister of Penda
king of Mercia, for one father begot them both, but of two sundrie
mothers, for she had to mother a ladie descended of the noble blood of
the Westsaxons, and was maried vnto Cadwallo when the peace was made
betwixt him and hir brother the said Penda. After that Cadwallader had
reigned the space of 12 yéers (as Geffrey of Monmouth saith) or (as
others write) but 3 yéeres, the Britains were brought into such
miserie through ciuill discord, and also by such great and extreme
[Sidenote: Cadwallader constreined to forsake the land.]
famine as then reigned through all the land, that Cadwallader was
constreined with the chéefest part of his people to forsake their
natiue countrie, and by sea to get them ouer into Britaine Armorike,
there to séeke reliefe by vittels for the sustentation of their
languishing bodies.
¶ Long processe is made by the British writers of this departure of
Cadwallader, & of the Britains out of this land, and how Cadwallader
was about to haue returned againe, but that he was admonished by a
dreame to the contrarie, the which bicause it séemeth but fabulous, we
passe ouer. At length he went to Rome, and there was confirmed in
the christian religion by pope Sergius, where shortlie after he fell
sicke, and died the 12 kalends of May, in the yeere of our Lord
[Sidenote: 689.]
689. But herein appeareth the error of the British writers in taking
one for another, by reason of resemblance of names, for where
Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons about that time mooued of a religious
deuotion, after he was conuerted to the faith, went vnto Rome, and was
there baptised, or else confirmed of the foresaid pope Sergius, and
shortlie after departed this life in that citie in the foresaid yéere
of 689 or therabouts. The Welshmen count him to be their Cadwallader:
which to be true is verie vnlike by that which may be gathered out of
the learned writings of diuers good and approoued authors.
[Sidenote: CEADWALLA. _Wil. Malm._ _Beda_.]
This Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons succeeded after Centwine
or Centiuinus, which Centwine reigned nine yéeres, though it should
appeare by that which is written by authors of good credit, that
during two of those yéeres at the least, the kingdome of Westsaxons
was diuided betwixt him and Elcuinus or Escuinus, so that he should
not reigne past seuen yeeres alone.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Ranulf. Cest._]
But now to Ceadwalla, whome some take to be all one with
Cadwallader, we find that he was lineallie descended from Cutha or
Cutwine, the brother of Ceauline or Keuling king of Westsaxons, as
sonne to Kenbert or Kenbright that was sonne to Ceadda the sonne of
the foresaid Cutha or Cutwin. Thus being extract of the noble house of
the kings of Westsaxons, he prooued in his youth a personage of great
towardnesse, and such a one as no small hope was of him conceiued: he
would let no occasion passe wherein he might exercise his force,
to shew proofe of his high valiancie, so that in the end with his
woorthie attempts shewed therein, he purchased to himselfe the enuie
of those that ruled in his countrie, by reason whereof he was
[Sidenote: Ceadwalla driuen to depart out of his countrie.]
banished in a conspiracie made against him. Wherevpon he tooke
occasion as it were in reuenge of such vnthankfulnesse to withdraw
out of his countrie, leading with him all the principall youth of the
same, the which either pitieng his present estate, or mooued with
pleasure taken in his valiant dooings, followed him at his going into
exile.
The first brunt of his furious attempts after he was out of his
countrie, Edilwalke the king of the Southsaxons tasted, who in defense
of himselfe comming to trie battell with Ceadwalla, was slaine with
the most part of all his armie. Ceadwalla then perceiuing the valiant
courages of his souldiers, filled with good hope of this happie
atchiued victorie, returned with good and prosperous spéed into his
owne countrie, and that yer he was looked for, and earnestlie pursuing
his aduersaries, droue them out of the kingdome, and taking vpon him
to rule the same as king, reigned two yéeres, during the which he
atchiued diuers notable enterprises.
[Sidenote: _Beda lib. 4. cap. 15_.]
And first, whereas Berthun and Authun dukes of Sussex & subiects
vnto the late king Edilwalke, had both expelled him out of that
countrie, after he had slaine the said Edilwalke, and also taken vpon
them the rule of that kingdome, hauing now atteined to the gouernement
[Sidenote: Berthun a duke of Sussex slaine.]
of the Westsaxons, he inuaded the countrie of Sussex againe, and
slue Berthun in battell, bringing that countrie into more bondage than
before. He also set vpon the Ile of Wight, and well-néere destroied
all the inhabitants, meaning to inhabit it with his owne people.
[Sidenote: Caedwalla his vow. The Ile of Wight conquered.]
Hee bound himselfe also by vow, although as yet he was not baptised,
that if he might conquer it, he would giue a fourth part thereof vnto
the Lord. And in performance of that vow, he offered vnto bishop
Wilfride (who then chanced to be present) when he had taken that Ile,
so much therof as conteined 300 housholds or families, where the
whole consisted in 1200 housholds. Wilfrid receiuing thankefullie
the gift, deliuered the same vnto one of his clearks named Bernewine
that was his sisters sonne, appointing to him also a priest named
Hildila, the which should minister the word and the sacrament of
baptisme vnto all those that would receiue the same. Thus was the
[Sidenote: The Ile of Wight receiueth the faith.]
Ile of Wight brought to the faith of Christ last of all other the
parties of this our Britaine, after that the same faith had failed
here by the comming of the Saxons.
Moreouer, king Ceadwalla inuaded the kingdome of Kent, where he lost
his brother Mollo, as after shall appéere, but yet he reuenged his
death with great slaughter made of the inhabitants in that countrie.
Finallie, this worthie prince Ceadwalla, turning himselfe from the
desire of warre and bloudshed, became right courteous, gentle and
liberall towards all men, so that ye could not haue wished more
vertuous manners to rest in one as yet not christened. And shortlie
after, willing to be admitted into the fellowship of the christians
(of whose religion he had taken good tast) he went to Rome, where of
pope Sergius he was baptised, and named Peter, and shortlie after
surprised with sickenesse, he died, and was buried there within
[Sidenote: 689.]
the church of saint Peter in the yeere of our Lord 689.
[Sidenote: _Beda lib. 4. cap. 26_. Ireland inuaded by the Northumbers.]
In the meane while, that is to say, in the yeere of our Lord 684,
Egfride king of Northumberland sent an armie vnder the guiding of a
capteine named Bertus into Ireland, the which wasted that countrie,
sparing neither church nor monasterie, sore indamaging the people of
that countrie, which had euer beene friends vnto the English nation,
and deserued nothing lesse than so to be inuaded and spoiled at their
hands. The Irish men defended themselues to their power, beséeching
God with manie a salt teare, that he would reuenge their cause in
punishing of such extreme iniuries. And though cursers may not inherit
the kingdome of heauen, yet they ceased not to curse, hoping the
sooner that those which with good cause were thus accursed,
should woorthilie be punished for their offenses by God, & so
[Sidenote: King Egfride slain by Brudeus king of the Picts.]
(peraduenture) it fell out. For in the yeere following, the said
Egfride had lead an armie into Pictland against Brudeus king of
the Picts, and being trained into straits within hils and craggie
mounteins, he was slaine with the most part of all his armie, in the
yeere of his age 40, and of his reigne 15, vpon the 13 kalends of
June.
There were diuers of Egfrides friends, and namelie Cutberd (whome he
had aduanced the same yéere vnto the bishops sée of Lindesferne)
that aduised him in no wise, either to haue taken this warre in hand
against the Picts, or the other against them of Ireland, but he would
not be counselled, the punishment appointed for his sinnes being such,
that he might not giue eare to his faithfull friends that aduised him
for the best. From that time foorth, the hope and power of the
[Sidenote: These Britains were those vndouttedlie y't dwelt in the
northwest parts of this Ile, and is not ment onlie by them of Wales.]
English people began to decaie. For not onelie the Picts recouered
that part of their countrie which the Englishmen had held before in
their possession, but also the Scots that inhabited within this Ile,
and likewise some part of the Britains tooke vpon them libertie, which
they kept and mainteined a long time after, as Beda confesseth.
Egfride died without issue, & left no children behind him. He had
to wife one Ethelreda or Etheldrida, daughter vnto Anna king of the
Eastangles, which liued with hir husband the forsaid Egfride twelue
yéeres in perfect virginitie (as is supposed) contrarie to the purpose
of hir husband, if he might haue persuaded hir to the contrarie, but
[Sidenote: Ethelreda.]
finallie he was contented that she should kéepe hir first vow of
chastitie which she had made. She was both widow and virgine when he
maried hir, being first coupled in wedlocke with one Eunbert a noble
[Sidenote: Giruij.]
man, and a ruler in the south parts of the countrie, where the
people called Giruij inhabited, which is the same where the fennes
lie in the confines of Lincolnshire, Norffolke, Huntingtonshire, &
Cambridgeshire, howbeit he liued with hir but a small while. After she
had obteined licence to depart from the court, she got hir first into
Coldingham abbeie, and there was professed a nun. Then she went to
Elie, and there restored the monasterie, and was made abbesse of the
place, in the which after she had gouerned seuen yeeres, she departed
this life, and was there buried. This same was she which commonlie is
called saint Audrie of Elie, had in great reuerence for the opinion
conceiued of hir great vertue and puritie of life.
* * * * *
_Alfride (the bastard) king of Northumberland, his life and death,
Iohn archbishop of Canturburie resigneth his see, Lother king of Kent
dieth of a wound, Edrike getteth the regiment thereof but not without
bloudshed, Ceadwalla wasteth Kent being at strife in it selfe,
his brother Mollo burned to death; Withred made king of Kent, he
vanquisheth his enimies, Inas king of Westsaxons is made his friend,
Suebhard and Nidred vsurpers of the Kentish kingdome, the age and
death of Theodore archbishop of Canturburie, Brightwald the first
archbishop of the English nation; the end of the British regiment, and
how long the greatest part of this Iland was vnder their gouernement._