[Sidenote: OFFA.]
[Sidenote: 758.]
After that Offa had slaine Bernred the vsurper of the kingdome of
Mercia (as before is mentioned) the same Offa tooke vppon him the
gouernment of that kingdome 758, a man of such stoutnesse of stomach,
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
that he thought he should be able to bring to passe all things
whatsoeuer he conceiued in his mind. He reigned 39 yeares. His dooings
were great and maruellous, and such as some times his vertues
surpassed his vices, and sometime againe his vices seemed to ouermatch
[Sidenote: The victories of king Offa.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: 779.]
his vertues. He ouercame the Kentishmen in a great battell at
Otteford, and the Northumbers also were by him vanquished, and in
battell put to flight. With Kenvulfe king of Westsaxons he fought in
open battell, and obteined a noble victorie, with small losse of his
people, although the same Kenwulfe was a right valiant prince, and a
good capteine.
[Sidenote: Falsehood in fellowship.]
Againe, perceiuing that to procéed with craft, should sooner aduance
his purpose, than to vse open force against Egilbert king of
Eastangles, vnder faire promises to giue vnto him his daughter in
mariage, he allured him to come into Mercia, and receiuing him into
his palace, caused his head to be striken off, and after by wrongfull
meanes inuaded his kingdome, and got it into his possession: yet he
caused the bones of the first martyr of this land saint Albane (by a
miraculous meanes brought to light) to be taken vp, and put in a rich
shrine adorned with gold and stone, building a goodlie church of
excellent woorkmanship, and founding a monasterie in that place in
honor of the same saint, which he indowed with great possessions. He
[Sidenote: The archbishops sée remoued from Canturburie to Lichfield.]
[Sidenote: 785.]
remoued the archbishops see from Canturburie vnto Lichfield, thereby
to aduance his kingdome of Mercia, as well in dignitie & preheminence
of spirituall power as temporall. He made great suit to bring his
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
purpose to passe in the court of Rome, and at length by great gifts
and rewards obteined it at the hands of pope Adrian the first, then
gouerning the Romane sée. And so Eadulfus then bishop of Lichfield was
adorned with the pall, and taken for archbishop, hauing all those
bishops within the limits of king Offa his dominion suffragans vnto
him; namelie, Denebertus bishop of Worcester, Werebertus bishop of
Chester, Eadulfus bishop of Dorcester, Wilnardus bishop of Hereford,
Halard bishop of Elsham, and Cedferth bishop of Donwich. There
remained onelie to the archbishop of Canturburie, the bishops of
London, Winchester, Rochester, and Shireburne.
[Sidenote: The archbishop Lambert defended his cause.]
This separation continued all the life time of the archbishop Lambert,
although he trauelled earnestlie to mainteine his prerogatiue. Now,
for that he still defended his cause, and would not reuolt from his
will, Offa depriued him of all his possessions & reuenues that he held
or inioied within anie part of his dominions. Neither was Offa
satisfied herewith, but he also tooke into his hands the possessions
of manie other churches, and fléeced the house of Malmesburie of a
part of hir reuenues. Because of these & other his hard dooings,
[Sidenote: Offa alieth himselfe with other princes.]
doubting the malice of his enimies, he procured the friendship of
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
forren princes. Vnto Brightricke king of the Westsaxons he gaue his
daughter Ethelburga in mariage. And sending diuers ambassadours ouer
vnto Charles the great, that was both emperor & king of France, he
purchased his friendship at length, although before there had depended
[Sidenote: The intercourse of merchants staied.]
a péece of displeasure betwixt them, insomuch that the intercourse for
trade of merchandize was staied for a time. One of the ambassadours
that was sent vnto the said Charles (as is reported) was that famous
[Sidenote: Alcwine an Englishman.]
clearke Albine or Alcwine, by whose persuasion the same Charles
erected two vniuersities, as in place due and conuenient may more
largelie appeare.
Finallie king Offa (as it were for a meane to appease Gods wrath,
which he doubted to be iustlie conceiued towards him for his sinnes
and wickednesse) granted the tenth part of all his goods vnto
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
churchmen, and to poore people. He also indowed the church of Hereford
with great reuenues, and (as some write) he builded the abbeie of
Bath, placing moonkes in the same, of the order of saint Benet, as
before he had doone at saint Albons. Moreouer he went vnto Rome, about
[Sidenote: 775.]
the yeare of our Lord 775, and there following the example of Inas
king of the Westsaxons, made his realme subiect by way of tribute vnto
[Sidenote: Peter pence, or Rome Scot.]
[Sidenote: _Will. Malmes._]
[Sidenote: 797.]
the church of Rome, appointing that euerie house within the limits of
his dominions, should yearelie pay vnto the apostolike see one pennie,
which paiment was after named, Rome Scot, and Peter pence. After his
returne from Rome, perceiuing himselfe to draw into yeares, he caused
[Sidenote: Offa departed this life.]
his sonne Egfrid to be ordeined king in his life time: and shortlie
after departing out of this world, left the kingdome vnto him, after
he had gouerned it by the space of 39 yeares.
Amongst other the dooings of this Offa, which suerlie were great and
maruellous, this may not passe with silence, that he caused a mightie
great ditch to be cast betwixt the marshes of his countrie, and the
Welsh confines, to diuide thereby the bounds of their dominions. This
[Sidenote: Offditch.]
ditch was called Offditch euer after, and stretched from the south
side by Bristow, vnder the mountaines of Wales, running northward ouer
the riuers of Seuerne and Dée, vnto the verie mouth of Dee, where that
riuer falleth into the sea. He likewise builded a church in
Warwikeshire, whereof the towne there taketh name, and is called
[Sidenote: Egfrid king of Mercia.]
Offchurch euen to this day. Egfrid taking vpon him the rule, began to
follow the approoued good dooings of his father, and first restored
vnto the churches their ancient priuileges, which his father sometimes
had taken from them. Great hope was conceiued of his further good
procéeding, but death cut off the same, taking him out of this life,
after he had reigned the space of foure moneths, not for his owne
offenses (as was thought) but rather for that his father had caused so
much bloud to be spilt for the confirming of him in the kingdome,
which so small a time he now inioied.
* * * * *
_Osulph king of Northumberland traitorouslie murthered, Edilwald
succeedeth him, the reward of rebellion, a great mortalitie of foules
fishes and fruits, moonkes licenced to drinke wine, great wast by
fire, Edelred king of Northumberland is driuen out of his countrie by
two dukes of the same, Ethelbert king of the Eastangles commended for
his vertues, Alfred the daughter of king Mercia is affianced to him,
tokens of missehaps towards him, his destruction intended by queene
Quendred, hir platforme of the practise to kill him, Offa inuadeth
Ethelberts kingdome, Alfred his betrothed wife taketh his death
greuouslie, and becommeth a nun, the decaie of the kingdome of
Eastangles, succession in the regiment of the Westsaxons, the end of
the gouernement of the Eastsaxons, prince Algar is smitten blind for
seeking to rauish virgine Friswide, and at hir praiers restored to his
sight._