[Sidenote: CUTHRED.]
After the decease of Ethelard king of Westsaxons, his coosine Cuthred
was made king and gouernour of those people, reigning the tearme of
[Sidenote: 740.]
16 yéeres. He began his reigne in the yeere of our Lord 740, in the
twentie fourth yere of the emperour Leo Isaurus, in the 14 yéere of
the reigne of the second Theodorus Cala K. of France, and about the 6
yéere of Ethfine king of Scots. This Cuthred had much to doo against
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
Edilbald king of Mercia, who one while with stirring his owne subiects
the Westsaxons to rebellion, an other while with open warre, and
sometime by secret craft and subtill practises sought to disquiet him.
Howbeit, in the fourth yeere of his reigne, a peace was concluded
betwixt them, and then ioining their powers togither, they went
against the Welshmen, & gaue them a great ouerthrow, as before is
[Sidenote: Kenric the kings sonne slaine.]
partlie touched. In the 9 yeere of this Cuthreds reigne, his sonne
Kenric was slaine in a seditious tumult amongst his men of warre, a
gentleman yoong in yeeres, but of a stout courage, and verie forward,
[Sidenote: 749.]
wherby (as was thought) he came the sooner to his wofull end.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: 751.]
In the 11 yeere of his reigne, Cuthred had wars against one of his
earls called Adelme, who raising a commotion against him, aduentured
to giue battell though he had the smaller number of men, and yet was
at point to haue gone away with victorie, if by a wound at that
instant receiued, his periurie had not béene punished, and the kings
iust cause aduanced to triumph ouer his aduersarie, whom yet by way of
[Sidenote: 752.]
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
reconciliation he pardoned. In the 13 yeere of his reigne, king
Cuthred being not well able to susteine the proud exactions and hard
dooings of Edilbald king of Mercia, raised his power, and encountered
with the same Edilbald at Hereford, hauing before him the said earle
Adelme, in whose valiant prowesse he put great hope to atteine
victorie: neither was he deceiued, for by the stout conduct and noble
courage of the said Adelme, the loftie pride of king Edelbald was
[Sidenote: K. Edilbald put to flight.]
abated, so that he was there put to flight, and all his armie
discomfited, after sore and terrible fight continued and mainteined
euen to the vttermost point. In the 24 yeere of his reigne, this
Cuthred fought eftsoones with the Welshmen, and obteined the vpper
hand, without anie great losse of his people: for the enimies were
easilie put to flight and chased, to their owne destruction. In the
yeere after, king Cuthred fell sicke, and in the 16 yéere of his
reigne he departed this life, after so manie great victories got
against his enimies.
[Sidenote: SIGIBERT.]
[Sidenote: 755.]
After him succéeded one Sigibert, a cruell and vnmercifull prince at
home, but yet a coward abroad. This Sigbert or Sigibert began his
reigne in the yeare of our Lord 755, verie néere ended. He intreated
his subjects verie euill, setting law and reason at naught. He could
not abide to heare his faults told him, and therefore he cruellie put
to death an earle named Cumbra, which was of his councell, and
faithfullie admonished him to reforme his euill dooings: wherevpon the
rest of his nobles assembled themselues togither with a great
multitude of people, and expelled him out of his estate in the
beginning of the second, or (as some say) the first yeare of his
reigne. Then Sigibert, as he was fearefull of nature; fearing to be
apprehended, got him into the wood called as then Andredeswald, and
there hid himselfe, but by chance a swineheard that belonged to the
late earle Cumbra at Priuets-floud found him out, and perceiuing what
he was, slue him in reuenge of his maisters death.
¶ Lo here you may sée how the righteous iustice of God rewardeth
wicked dooings in this world with worthie recompense, as well as in
the world to come, appointing euill princes sometimes to reigne for
the punishment of the people, according as they deserue, permitting
some of them to haue gouernement a long time, that both the froward
nations may suffer long for their sins, and that such wicked princes
may in an other world tast the more bitter torments. Againe, other he
taketh out of the waie, that the people may be deliuered from
oppression, and also that the naughtie ruler for his misdemeanour may
spéedilie receiue due punishment.
[Sidenote: Ethelred.]
[Sidenote: 738.]
After Beorne king of Eastangles one Ethelred succéeded in gouernment
of that kingdome a man noted to be of good and vertuous qualities, in
that he brought vp his sonne Ethelred (which succéeded him) so in the
feare of the Lord, that he prooued a right godlie prince. This
Ethelbert reigned (as writers say) the terme of 52 yeares.
[Sidenote: Egbert king of Northumberland.]
[Sidenote: 758.]
After that Ceolvulfe king of Northumberland was become a moonke in the
abbie of Lindesferne, his vncles sonne Egbert (by order taken by the
said Ceolvulfe) succeeded him in the kingdome, and gouerned the same
right woorthilie for the terme of 24 yeares, and then became a moonke,
by the example both of his predecessor the forsaid Ceolvulfe, and also
[Sidenote: Changing of crownes for moonkes cowles.]
[Sidenote: 756.]
of diuers other kings in those daies, so that he was the eight king
who in this land had changed a kings crowne for a moonks cowle (as
Simon Dunel. writeth.)
This Egbert (in the 18 yeare of his reigne) and Vngust king of Picts
came to the citie of Alcluid with their armies, and there receiued the
Britains into their subiection, the first-day of August: but the tenth
day of the same month, the armie which he led from Ouan vnto
Newbourgh, was for the more part lost and destroied. ¶ The same yeare
on the 8 kalends of December, the moone being as then in hir full,
appeared to be of a bloudie colour, but at length she came to hir
accustomed shew, after a maruellous meanes, for a starre which
followed hir, passed by hir, & went before hir, the like dist[=a]ce as
it kept in following hir before she lost hir vsuall light.
* * * * *
_Offa king of Mercia, his manhood and victories against the Kentishmen
and Westsaxons, he killeth Egilbert king of Eastangles by a policie or
subtill deuise of profered curtesie, he inuadeth his kingdome, and
possesseth it, the archbishops see of Canturburie remoued to
Lichfield; archbishop Lambert laboring to defend his prerogatiue is
depriued by king Offa, he seizeth vpon churches and religious houses;
mistrusting his estate, he alieth himselfe with other princes; he
maketh amends for the wrongs that he had doone to churches and
religious houses, he goeth to Rome, maketh his realme tributarie to
the said see, Peter pence paid, he falleth sicke and dieth, places to
this day bearing his name in memorie of him, the short reigne of his
sonne._