[Sidenote: INAS.]
[Sidenote: 689.]
After that Ceadwalla, late K. of the Westsaxons was gone to Rome,
where he departed this life (as afore is shewed) his coosen Inas or
Ine was made king of the Westsaxons, begining his reigne in the yéere
of our Lord 689, in the third yeere of the emperor Iustinianus the
third, the 11 yéere of the reigne of Theodoricus K. of France, and
about the second yéere of the reigne of Eugenius king of Scots. Now
[Sidenote: The Britains ceasse to reigne in this land.]
because the rule of the Britains commonlie called Welshmen, ceassed in
this realme, as by confession of their owne writers it appéereth, and
that in the end the whole monarchie of the same realme came to the
hands of the kings of Westsaxons, we haue thought méet to refer things
generall vnto the reignes of the same kings, as before we did in the
Britaine kings, reseruing the particular dooings to the kings of the
other prouinces or kingdoms, as the same haue fallen out, and shall
come to hand.
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
This Inas, whome some (mistaking N for V) doo wrongfullie name Iue or
Iewe, prooued a right excellent prince, he was descended of the
ancient linage of the kings of the Westsaxons, as sonne to one Kenred,
that was sonne to Ceolwald the son of Cutha or Cutwine, that was sonne
to Kenricke the sonne of Certicus, the first king of Westsaxons. But
he was admitted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to
rest in his woorthie person, than for the successiue ofspring of which
he was descended. The first voiage that he made, was against the
Kentishmen, on whome he purposed to reuenge the death of his coosen
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
Mollo, the griefe whereof as yet he kept in fresh memorie. But when
the Kentishmen perceiued, that to resist him by force, they were
nothing able, they attempted by monie to buy their peace, and so
obteined their purpose, vpon paiment made to him of thirtie thousand
marks of siluer.
[Sidenote: Anno 708 as is noted by _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
After this, about the 21 yéere of his reigne, king Inas and his coosen
Nun fought with Gerent king of the Britains. In the beginning of the
battell, one Higelbald a noble man of the Westsaxons part was slaine,
but in the end Gerent with his Britains was chased. In the 26 yéere of
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._ saith 718]
his reigne; the same Inas fought a mightie battell against Cheolred
king of Mercia, at Wodenessburie, with doubtfull victorie, for it
could not well be iudged whether part susteined greater losse. In the
36 yéere of his reigne, king Inas inuaded the Southsaxons with a
mightie armie, and slue in battell Ealdbright or Aldinius king of the
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ saith 722.]
[Sidenote: The end of the kingdome of the Southsaxons.]
Southsaxons, and ioined that kingdome vnto the kingdome of the
Westsaxons: so that from thencefoorth the kingdome of those
Southsaxons ceassed, after they had reigned in that kingdome by the
space of five kings successiuelie, that is to say, Ella, Cissa,
Ethelwalke, Berutius, and this last Aldinius or Ealdbright.
Finallie, when Inas had reigned 37 yéeres, and 10 or 11 od moneths, he
renounced the rule of his kingdome, togither with all worldlie pompe,
[Sidenote: Inas went to Rome and there died.]
and went vnto Rome as a poore pilgrime, and there ended his life: but
before this, during the time of his reigne, he shewed himselfe verie
deuout and zealous towards the aduancement of the christian religion.
He made and ordeined also good & wholesome lawes for the amendment of
maners in the people, which are yet extant and to be read, written in
the Saxon toong, and translated into the Latine in times past, and now
latelie againe by William Lambert gentleman, and printed by Iohn Day,
in the yéere 1568, togither with the lawes and statutes of other kings
before the conquest, as to the learned maie appéere.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
Moreouer, king Ine builded the monasterie of Glastenburie, where
Ioseph of Arimathea in times past builded an oratorie or chappell (as
before is recited) when he with other christians came into this land
in the daies of Aruiragus, & taught the gospell heere to the Britains,
conuerting manie of them to the faith. Moreouer, king Ine or Inas
builded the church of Welles, dedicating it vnto saint Andrew, where
afterwards a bishops sée was placed, which at length was translated
[Sidenote: _Ethelburga._]
vnto Salisburie. He had to wife one Ethelburga, a woman of noble
linage, who had béene earnest with him a long time to persuade him to
forsake the world: but she could by no meanes bring hir purpose to
passe, till vpon a time the king and she had lodged at a manor place
[Sidenote: _Will. Malmes._]
in the countrie, where all prouision had béene made for the receiuing
of them and their traine in most sumptuous maner that might be, as
well in rich furniture of houshold, as also in costlie viands, and all
other things needfull, or that might serue for pleasure, and when they
were departed, the quéene the foresaid Ethelburga caused the keeper of
[Sidenote: The deuise of quéene Ethelburga to persuade hir husband to
forsake the world.]
that house to remooue all the bedding, hangings, and other such things
as had béen brought thither and ordeined for the beautifull setting
foorth of the house, and in place thereof to bring ordure, straw, &
such like filth, as well into the chambers and hall, as into all the
houses of office, and that doone, to laie a sow with pigs in the place
where before the kings bed had stood. Héerevpon when she had knowledge
that euerie thing was ordered according to hir appointment, she
persuaded the king to returne thither againe, feining occasions great
and necessarie.
Now when he was returned to that house, which before séemed to the eie
a palace of most pleasure, and now finding it in such a filthie state
as might loath the stomach of anie man to behold the same, she tooke
occasion therevpon to persuade him to the consideration of the vaine
pleasures of this world, which in a moment turne to naught, togither
with the corruption of the flesh, being a filthie lumpe of claie,
after it should once be disolued by death: and in fine, where before
she had spent much labour to mooue him to renounce the world, though
all in vaine, yet now the beholding of that change in his pleasant
palace, wherein so late he had taken great delight, wrought such an
alteration in his mind, that hir woords lastlie tooke effect: so that
he resigned the kingdome to his coosen Ethelard, and went himselfe to
Rome (as aboue is mentioned) and his wife became a nun in the abbeie
of Barking, where she was made abbesse, and finallie there ended hir
[Sidenote: Peter pence.]
life. This Inas was the first that caused the monie called Peter
pence, to be paid vnto the bishop of Rome, which was for euerie
houshold within his dominion a penie.
[Sidenote: King Ethelred becommeth a moonk.]
In this meane time Edilred or Ethelred, hauing gouerned the kingdome
of Mercia by the tearme of 29 yéeres, became a moonke in the abbeie of
Bardenie, and after was made abbat of that house. He had to wife one
[Sidenote: Ostrida.]
Ostrida the sister of Egfride king of Northumberland, by whome he had
a sonne named Ceolred. But he appointed Kenred the sonne of his
[Sidenote: _Beda in Epit._]
brother Vulfher to succéed him in the kingdome. The said Ostrida was
cruellie slaine by the treason of hir husbands subiects, about the
[Sidenote: 697.]
yéere of our Lord 697.
[Sidenote: King Kenred.]
And as for Kenred, he was a prince of great vertue, deuout towards
God, a furtherer of the commonwealth of his countrie, and passed his
life in great sinceritie of maners. In the fift yéere of his reigne,
he renounced the world, and went to Rome, togither with Offa king of
the Eastsaxons, where he was made a moonke: and finallie died there,
[Sidenote: 711.]
in the yéere of our Lord 711. By the aid and furtherance of this
[Sidenote: _Nauclerus._]
[Sidenote: Egwin bishop of Worcester.]
Kenred, a moonke of saint Benets order (called Egwin) builded the
abbeie of Eueshame, who afterwards was made bishop of Worcester.
[Sidenote: A fabulous and trifling deuise.]
¶ We find recorded by writers, that this Egwin had warning giuen him
by visions (as he constantlie affirmed before pope Constantine) to set
vp an image of our ladie in his church. Wherevpon the pope approuing
the testifications of this bishop by his buls, writ to Brightwald
archbishop of Canturburie, to assemble a synod, and by authoritie
thereof to establish the vse of images, charging the kings of this
land to be present at the same synod, vpon paine of excommunication.
[Sidenote: _Bale._]
[Sidenote: 712.]
This synod was holden about the yéere of our Lord 712, in the daies of
Inas king of Westsaxons, and of Ceolred king of Mercia successor to
the foresaid Kenred.
After Kenred succéeded Ceolred, the sonne of his vncle Edilred, & died
in the 8 yeere of his reigne, and was buried at Lichfield. Then
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
succéeded Ethelbaldus that was descended of Eopa the brother of king
Penda, as the fourth from him by lineall succession. This man gouerned
a long time without anie notable trouble: some warres he had, and sped
[Sidenote: _Ran. Cestren._]
diuerslie. In the 18 yéere of his reigne, he besieged Sommerton and
wan it. He also inuaded Northumberland, and got there great riches by
spoile and pillage, which he brought from thence without anie battell
offered to him.
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
He ouercame the Welshmen in battell, being then at quiet, and ioined
as confederats with Cuthred K. of Westsaxons. But in the 37 yéere of
[Sidenote: Bereford.]
[Sidenote: 755.]
his reigne, he was ouercome in battell at Bereford by the same
Cuthred, with whome he was fallen at variance, and within foure yéeres
after, that is to say, in the 41 yéere of his reigne he was slaine in
[Sidenote: Thrée miles from Tamworth.]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: 758.]
battell at Secandon, or Sekenton, by his owne subiects, which arreared
warres against him, by the procurement and leading of one Bernred, who
after he had slaine his naturall prince, tooke vpon him the kingdome:
but he prospered not long, being slaine by Offa that succéeded him in
rule of the kingdome of Mercia, as after shall be shewed. The bodie of
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
Ethelbald was buried at Ripton.
[Sidenote: The historie of Magd.]
Bonifacius the archbishop of Mentiz or Moguntz, hauing assembled a
councell with other bishops and doctors, deuised a letter, and sent it
vnto this Ethelbald, commending him for his good deuotion and charitie
in almes-giuing to the reliefe of the poore, and also for his vpright
dealing in administration of iustice, to the punishment of robbers and
such like misdooers: but in that he absteined from mariage, and
wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse women, and namelie with
nuns, they sore blamed him, and withall declared in what infamie the
whole English nation in those daies remained by common report in other
countries for their licentious liuing in sinfull fornication, and
namelie the most part of the noble men of Mercia by his euill example
did forsake their wiues, and defloured other women which they kept in
[Sidenote: Nuns kept for concubines.]
adulterie, as nuns and others. Moreouer, he shewed how that such euill
women, as well nuns as other, vsed to make awaie in secret wise their
children which they bare out of wedlocke, and so filled the graues
with dead bodies, and hell with damned soules. The same Bonifacius in
an other epistle wich he wrote vnto Cutbert the archbishop of
[Sidenote: Pilgrimage of nuns.]
Canturburie, counselled him not to permit the English nuns to wander
abroad so often on pilgrimage, bicause there were few cities either in
France or Lombardie, wherein might not be found English women, that
liued wantonlie in fornication and whordome.
* * * * *
_Offa king of the Eastsaxons with other go to Rome, he is shauen and
becommeth a moonke, succession in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons and
Eastangles, Osred king of Northumberland hath carnall knowledge with
nuns, he is slaine in battell, Osrike renouncing his kingdome
becommeth a moonke, bishop Wilfrid twise restored to his see,
Westsaxonie diuided in two diocesses, bishop Aldhelme a founder of
religious houses; Ethelard succeedeth Inas in regiment, two blasing
starres seene at once, and what insued, the king dieth: the successiue
reigne of Wichtreds three sonnes ouer Kent, what prouinces were
gouerned by bishops; of what puissance Ethelbald king of Mercia was,
Egbert archbishop of Yorke aduanceth his see; a notable remembrance of
that excellent man Beda, his death._