[Sidenote: OSRED.]
[Sidenote: 788.]
When Aswald king of Northumberland was made away, his brother Osred
the sonne of Alred tooke vpon him the rule of that kingdom anno 788,
and within one yeere was expelled, and left the kingdome to Ethelbert
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
or Edelred as then reuoked out of exile, in which he had remained for
the space of 12 yéeres, and now being restored, he continued in
gouernement of the Northumbers 4 yéeres, or (as some say) 7 yéeres; in
[Sidenote: Duke Ardulf taken and wounded.]
the second yéere whereof duke Eardulfe was taken and led to Ripon, and
there without the gate of the monasterie wounded (as was thought) to
death by the said king, but the moonks taking his bodie, and laieng it
in a tent without the church, after midnight he was found aliue in the
church.
Moreouer, about the same time the sonnes of king Alfwald were by force
drawne out of the citie of Yorke, but first by a wile they were
trained out of the head church where they had taken sanctuarie, and so
at length miserablie slaine by king Ethelbert in Wonwaldremere, one of
[Sidenote: 792.]
them was named Alfus, & the other Alfwin. In the yéere of our Lord
792, Osred vpon trust of the others and promises of diuerse noble men,
secretly returned into Northumberland, but his owne souldiers forsooke
him, and so was he taken, and by king Ethelberts commandment put to
death at Cunbridge on the 14 day of September.
The same yéere king Ethelbert maried the ladie Alfled the daughter of
Offa king of Mercia, forsaking his former wife which he had, & hauing
no iust cause of diuorce giuen on hir part, wherby his people tooke
such displeasure against him, that finallie after he had reigned now
this second time 4 yéeres, or (as other say) seuen yéeres, he could
not auoid the destinie of his predecessors, but was miserablie killed
by his owne subiects at Cobre, the 18 of Aprill. After whome, one
Oswald a noble man was ordeined king, and within 27 or 28 daies after
[Sidenote: Holie Iland.]
was expelled, and constreined to flie first into the Ile of
Lindesferne, and from thence vnto the king of the Picts.
[Sidenote: Ardulfe.]
Then Ardulfe that was a duke and sonne to one Arnulfe was reuoked out
of exile, made king, & consecrated also at Yorke by the archbishop
[Sidenote: 796.]
Cumhald, and thrée other bishops, the 25 of June, in the yéere 796.
About two yeeres after, to wit, in the yéere 798 one duke Wade, and
other conspirators which had beene also partakers in the murthering of
king Ethelbert, raised warre against king Ardulfe, and fought a
[Sidenote: Walalege.]
battell with him at Walleg, but king Ardulfe got the vpper hand,
and chased Wade and other his enimies out of the field. In the yéere
[Sidenote: 799.]
799, duke Aldred that had murthered Ethelbert or Athelred king of
Northumberland, was slaine by another duke called Chorthmond in
reuenge of the death of his maister the said Ethelbert. Shortlie
after, about the same time that Brightrike king of Westsaxons departed
this life, there was a sore battell foughten in Northumberland at
Wellehare, in the which Alricke the sonne of Herbert, and manie other
with him were slaine: but to rehearse all the battels with their
successes and issues, it should be too tedious and irkesome to the
readers, for the English people being naturallie hard and high-minded,
continuallie scourged each other with
[Sidenote: The English men afflicted each other with ciuill warre.]
intestine warres. About six or seuen yéeres after this battell, king
Ardulfe was expelled out of the state.
¶ Thus ye may consider in what plight things stood in Northumberland,
by the often seditions, tumults and changings of gouernors, so that
there be which haue written, how after the death of king Ethelbert,
otherwise called Edelred, diuers bishops and other of the chiefest
nobles of the countrie disdaining such traitorous prince-killings,
ciuill seditions, and iniurious dealings, as it were put in dailie
practise amongst the Northumbers, departed out of their natiue borders
into voluntarie exile, and that from thencefoorth there was not anie
of the nobilitie that durst take vpon him the kinglie gouernement
amongst them, fearing the fatall prerogatiue thereof, as if it had
béene Scians horsse, whose rider came euer to some euill end. But yet
by that which is héeretofore shewed out of Simon Dunelm, it is
euident, that there reigned kings ouer the Northumbers, but in what
authoritie and power to command, it may be doubted.
Howbeit this is certeine, that the sundrie murtherings and banishments
of their kings and dukes giue vs greatlie to gesse, that there was but
sorie obedience vsed in the countrie, whereby for no small space of
time that kingdome remained without an head gouernor, being set open
to the prey and iniurie of them that were borderers vnto it, and
likewise vnto strangers. For the Danes, which in those daies were
[Sidenote: This chanced in the yéere of our Lord 700, as _Simon Dun._
saith.]
great rouers, had landed before in the north parts, & spoiled the
abbeie of Lindesferne otherwise called holie Iland, and perceiuing the
fruitfulnesse of the countrie, and easinesse for their people to
inuade it (bicause that through their priuate quarelling there was
little publike resistance to be looked for) at their comming home,
entised their countriemen to make voiages into England, and so landing
[Sidenote: The Danes inuade Northumberland.]
in Northumberland did much hurt, and obtained a great part of the
countrie in manner without resistance, bicause there was no ruler
there able to raise anie power of men by publike authoritie to
incounter with the common enimies, whereby the countrie was brought
into great miserie, partlie with war of the Danes, and ciuill
dissention amongest the nobles and people themselues, no man being of
authoritie (I say) able to reforme such misorders. Yet we find that
the nobles and capteines of the countrie assembling togither at one
[Sidenote: The Danes vanquished.]
[Sidenote: This was in anno 794 as _Simon Dun._ saith.]
time against the Danes that were landed about Tinmouth, constreined
them by sharpe fight to flée backe to their ships, and tooke certeine
of them in the field, whose heads they stroke off there vpon the
shore. The other that got to their ships, suffered great losse of men,
and likewise of their vessels by tempest.
¶ Here then we are taught that the safest way to mainteine a
monarchie, is when all degrées liue in loialtie. And that it is
necessarie there should be one supereminent, vnto whome all the
residue should stoope: this fraile bodie of ours may giue vs
sufficient instruction. For reason ruleth in the mind as souereigne,
and hath subiect vnto it all the affections and inward motions, yea
the naturall actions are directed by hir gouernement: whereto if the
will be obedient there cannot créepe in anie outrage or disorder. Such
should be the sole regiment of a king in his kingdome; otherwise he
may be called "Rex á regendo, as Mons a mouendo." For there is not a
greater enimie to that estate, than to admit participants in roialtie,
which as it is a readie way to cause a subuersion of a monarchie; so
it is the shortest cut ouer to a disordered anarchie. But to procéed
in the historie.
After that Alrike (the last of king Witchreds sonnes, which reigned in
Kent successiuelie after their father) was dead, the noble ofspring of
the kings there so decaied, and began to vade awaie, that euerie one
which either by flattering had got rithes togither, or by seditious
partaking was had in estimation, sought to haue the gouernement, and
to vsurp the title of king, abusing by vnworthie means the honor and
[Sidenote: Edelbert.]
dignitie of so high an office. Amongest others, one Edbert or
Edelbert, surnamed also Prenne, gouerned the Kentishmen for the space
of two yeares, and was in the end vanquished by them of Mercia, and
taken prisoner, as before is said: so that for a time he liued in
captiuitie; and although afterwards he was set at libertie, yet was he
not receiued againe to the kingdome, so that it is vncerteine what end
he made. Cuthred that was appointed by Kinevulfe the king of Mercia,
to reigne in place of the same Edbert or Edelbert, continued in the
gouernement eight yéeres as king, rather by name than by act,
inheriting his predecessors euill hap and calamitie, through factions
and ciuill discord.
[Sidenote: Lambert.]
After that Iambrith or Lambert the archbishop of Canturburie was
departed this life, one Edelred was ordeined in his place, vnto whome
the primasie was restored, which in his predecessors time was taken
awaie by Offa king of Mercia, as before is recited. Also after the
death of Eubald archbishop of Yorke, another of the same name called
Eubald the second was admitted to succeed in that sée. After that
Brightrike the king of Westsaxons was departed this life, messengers
were sent with all spéed into France, to giue knowledge thereof vnto
Egbert, which as before is shewed, was constreined by the said
Brightrike to depart the countrie. At the first, he withdrew vnto Offa
king of Mercia, with whome he remained for a time, till at length
(through suit made by Brightrike) he perceiued he might not longer
continue there without danger to be deliuered into his enimies hands;
and so, Offa winking at the matter, he departed out of his countrie,
and got him ouer into France. But being now aduertised of Brightriks
death, and required by earnest letters sent from his friends to come
and receiue the gouernement of the kingdome, he returned with all
conuenient spéed into his countrie, and was receiued immediatlie for
[Sidenote: Egbert receiued a king of Westsaxons His linage.]
king, by the generall consent of the Westsaxons, as well in respect of
the good hope which they had conceiued of his woorthie qualities and
aptnesse to haue gouernement, as of his roiall linage, being lineallie
descended from Inigils the brother of king Inas, as sonne to
Alkemound, that was the sonne of one Eaffa, which Eaffa was sonne to
Ope the sonne of the foresaid Inigils.
* * * * *
_Egbert reigneth ouer the Westsaxons, his practise or exercise in the
time of his exile, his martiall exploits against the Cornishmen and
Welshmen, Bernulfe king of Mercia taketh indignation at Egbert for the
inlarging of his roiall authoritie, they fight a sore battell, Egbert
ouercommeth, great ods betweene their souldiers, bishop Alstan a
warriour; Kent, Essex, Southerie, Sussex, and Eastangles subiect to
Egbert; he killeth Bernulfe K. of Mercia, and conquereth the whole
kingdome, Whitlafe the king thereof becommeth his tributarie, the
Northumbers submit themselues to Egbert, he conquereth Northwales and
the citie of Chester, he is crowned supreme gouernour of the whole
land, when this Ile was called England, the Danes inuade the land,
they discomfit Egberts host, the Welshmen ioine with the Danes against
Egbert, they are both vanquished, Egbert dieth._