[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 of the
[Sidenote: 676 saith _Matth. West._]
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 the
[Sidenote: _Galfrid._]
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
[Sidenote: 689.]
sicke, and died the 12 kalends of May, in the yeere of our Lord 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.]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: _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._]
[Sidenote: _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
[Sidenote: Ceadwalla driuen to depart out of his countrie.]
in his countrie, by reason whereof he was 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 of the
[Sidenote: Berthun a duke of Sussex slaine.]
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. Hee bound
[Sidenote: Caedwalla his vow. The Ile of Wight conquered.]
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
[Sidenote: The Ile of Wight receiueth the faith.]
would receiue the same. Thus was the 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 the
[Sidenote: 689.]
church of saint Peter in the yeere of our Lord 689.
[Sidenote: _Beda lib._ 4. _cap._ 26.]
[Sidenote: 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 (peraduenture)
[Sidenote: King Egfride slain by Brudeus king of the Picts.]
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
[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.]
for the best. From that time foorth, the hope and power of the 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
finallie he was contented that she should kéepe hir first vow of
[Sidenote: Ethelreda.]
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._