[Sidenote: EGBERT.]
[Sidenote: 802 as _Simon Dunel._]
[Sidenote: and _M.W._ hath noted but 801.]
This Egbert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 800, which was
the 4 yeare almost ended, after that the emperour Eirine began the
second time to rule the empire, and in the 24 yeare of the reigne of
Charles the great king of France, which also was in the same yeare
after he was made emperour of the west, and about the second yeare of
Conwall king of Scots. Whilest this Egbert remained in exile, he
turned his aduersaries into an occasion of his valiancie, as it had
béene a grindstone to grind awaie and remoue the rust of sluggish
slouthfulnes, in so much that hawnting the wars in France, in seruice
of Charles the great, he atteined to great knowledge and experience,
both in matters appertaining to the wars, and likewise to the well
ordering of the common wealth in time of peace. The first wars that he
tooke in hand, after he had atteined to the kingdome, was against the
Cornishmen, a remnant of the old Britains, whome he shortlie ouercame
and subdued. Then he thought good to tame the vnquiet Welshmen, the
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
which still were readie to moue rebellion against the Englishmen, as
they that being vanquished, would not yet seeme to be subdued,
wherefore about the 14 yeare of his reigne, he inuaded the countrie of
Wales, and went through the same from east to west, not finding anie
person that durst resist him.
King Egbert hauing ouercome his enimies of Wales and Cornewall, began
to grow in authoritie aboue all the other rulers within this land, in
somuch that euerie of them began to feare their owne estate, but
[Sidenote: Bernulf king of Mercia.]
namelie Bernulfe king of Mercia sore stomached the matter, as he that
was wise, and of a loftie courage, and yet doubted to haue to doo with
Egbert, who was knowen also to be a man both skilfull and valiant. At
length yet considering with himselfe, that if his chance should be to
speed well, so much the more should his praise be increased, he
determined to attempt the fortune of warre, and therevpon intimated
the same vnto Egbert, who supposing it should be a dishonor vnto him
to giue place, boldlie prepared to méete Bernulfe in the field.
[Sidenote: A battell fought at Ellendon.]
Herevpon they incountred togither at Ellendon, & fought a sore
battell, in the which a huge number of men were slaine, what on the
one part, and on the other but in the end the victorie remained with
[Sidenote: Egbert won the victorie.]
Egbert, although he had not the like host for number vnto Bernulfe,
but he was a politike prince, and of great experience, hauing chosen
his souldiers of nimble, leane, and hartie men; where Bernulfs
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: 826.]
souldiers (through long ease) were cowardlie persons, and ouercharged
with flesh. The battell was fought in the yeare of our Lord 826.
King Egbert hauing got this victorie, was aduanced into such hope,
that he persuaded himselfe to be able without great adoo to ouercome
the residue of his neighbours, whose estates he saw plainlie sore
weakened and fallen into great decaie. Herevpon before all other, he
determined to assaile Edelvulfe king of Kent, whome he knew to be a
man in no estimation amongest his subiects. A competent armie
[Sidenote: Alstan bishop of Shireborn a warrior.]
therefore being leuied, he appointed his sonne Ethelwulfe & Alstan
bishop of Shireborne, with earle Walhard to haue the conduct therof,
and sent them with the same into Kent, where they wrought such
maisteries, that they chased both the king and all other that would
not submit themselues, out of the countrie, constreining them to passe
[Sidenote: The conquests of the Westsaxons.]
ouer the Thames. And herewith the Westsaxons following the victorie,
brought vnder subiection of king Egbert the countries of Kent, Essex,
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._]
Southerie, and Sussex. The Eastangles also about the same time
receiued king Egbert for their souereigne Lord, and comforted by his
setting on against Bernulfe king of Mercia, inuaded the confines of
his kingdome, in reuenge of displeasures which he had doone to them
latelie before, by inuading their countrie, and as it came to passe,
[Sidenote: Bernulf king of Mercia slaine.]
incountring with the said Bernulfe which came against them to defend
his countrie, they slue him in the field.
Thus their minds on both parts being kindled into further wrath, the
Eastangles eftsoones in the yeare following fought with them of
Mercia, and ouercame them againe, and slue their king Ludicenus, who
succéeded Bernulfe in that kingdome, with 5 of his earles. The state
of the kingdome of Mercia being weakened, Egbert conceiued an assured
hope of good successe, & in the 27 yeare of his reigne, made an open
inuasion into the countrie, and chasing Whitlafe king of Mercia (that
succéeded Ludicenus) out of his estate, conquered the whole kingdome
of the Mercies. But yet in the yéere next following, or in the third
yeare after, he restored it againe to Whitlafe, with condition, that
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
he should inioy the same as tributarie to him, and acknowledge him for
his supreme gouernour. The same yeare that Bernulfe king of Mercia was
slaine by the Eastangles, there was a sore battell foughten at
[Sidenote: These were the Cornish men as is to be supposed.]
Gauelford, betwixt them of Deuonshire, and the Britains, in the which
manie thousands died on both parts.
King Egbert hauing conquered all the English people inhabiting on the
south side of Humber, led foorth his armie against them of
Northumberland: but the Northumbers being not onelie vexed with ciuill
sedition, but also with the often inuasion of Danes, perceiued not
[Sidenote: King Egbert inuadeth Northumberland.]
[Sidenote: The Northumbers submit themselues to king Egbert.]
how they should be able to resist the power of king Egbert: and
therefore vpon good aduisement taken in the matter, they resolued to
submit themselues, and therevpon sent ambassadors to him to offer
their submission, committing themselues wholie vnto his protection.
King Egbert gladlie receiued them, and promised to defend them from
all forren enimies. Thus the kingdome of Northumberland was brought
vnder subiection to the kings of the Westsaxons, after the state had
béen sore weakened with contention and ciuill discord that had
continued amongst the nobles of the countrie, for the space of manie
yeeres, beside the inuasion made by outward enimies, to the gréeuous
damage of the people.
After that king Egbert had finished his businesse in Northumberland,
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
[Sidenote: Northwales and the citie of Chester conquered by Egbert.]
he turned his power towards the countrie of Northwales, and subdued
the same, with the citie of Chester, which till those daies, the
Britains or Welshmen had kept in their possession. When king Egbert
had obteined these victories, and made such conquests as before is
mentioned, of the people héere in this land, he caused a councell to
be assembled at Winchester, and there by aduise of the high estates,
he was crowned king, as souereigne gouernour and supreame lord of the
whole land. It is also recorded, that he caused a commission to be
directed foorth into all parts of the realme, to giue commandement,
that from thence forward all the people inhabiting within this land,
should be called English men, and not Saxons, and likewise the land
[Sidenote: The name of this ile when it was changed.]
should be called England by one generall name, though it should
appéere (as before is mentioned) that it was so called shortlie after
the first time that the Angles and Saxons got possession thereof.
Now was king Egbert setled in good quiet, and his dominions reduced
[Sidenote: The Danes.]
out of the troubles of warre, when suddenlie newes came, that the
Danes with a nauie of 35 ships, were arriued on the English coasts,
and began to make sore warre in the land. K. Egbert being thereof
aduertised, with all conuenient spéed got togither an armie, and went
foorth to giue battell to the enimies. Heerevpon incountring with
them, there was a sore foughten field betwixt them, which continued
with great slaughter on both sides, till the night came on, and then
by chance of warre the Englishmen, which before were at point to haue
[Sidenote: The Englishmen discomfited by Danes.]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: 834.]
gone awaie with victorie, were vanquished and put to flight, yet king
Egbert by couert of the night escaped his enimies hands: but two of
his chiefe capteins Dudda and Osmond, with two bishops, to wit,
Herferd of Winchester, and Vigferd of Shireborne, were slaine in that
battell, which was foughten at Carrum, about the 834 of Christ, and 34
yéere of king Egberts reigne.
In the yeere following, the Danes with their nauie came into
Westwales, and there the Welshmen ioining with them, rose against king
[Sidenote: Danes and Welshmen vanquished.]
[Sidenote: 836.]
Egbert, but he with prosperous fortune vanquished and slue both the
Danes and Welshmen, and that in great number, at a place called
Hengistenton. The next yéere after also, which was 836, he ouerthrew
another armie of Danes which came against him, as one autor writeth.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: Egbert departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: 837.]
Finallie, when king Egbert had reigned the tearme of 36 yéeres and
seuen moneths with great glorie for the inlarging of his kingdome with
wide bounds, which when he receiued was but of small compasse, he
departed this life, leauing to his issue matter of woorthie praise to
mainteine that with order which he with painefull diligence had ioined
togither. His bodie was buried at Winchester, and he left behind him
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
two sonnes Ethelwulfe, otherwise named Athaulfe and Adelstan. The
first he appointed to succéed him in the kingdome of Westsaxons, and
Adelstan he ordeined to haue the gouernment of Kent, Sussex, and
Essex.
¶ Héere we sée the paterne of a fortunate prince in all his affaires,
as well forren as domesticall, wherein is first to be obserued the
order of his education in his tender yéeres, which agreeing well with
a princes nature, could not but in the progresse of his age bring
great matters to passe, his manifold victories are an argument that as
he lacked no policie, so he had prowesse inough to incounter with his
enimies, to whome he gaue manie a fowle discomfiture. But among all
other notes of his skill and hope of happie successe in his martiall
affaires, was the good choise that he made of seruiceable souldiers,
being such as knew how to get the victorie, and hauing gotten it, were
not vntaught to vse it to their benefit, by their warinesse and
héedtaking; for
Sæpiùs incautæ nocuit victoria turbæ.
* * * * *
_The kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons, the
end of the kingdome of Kent and Essex; Kenelme king of Mercia
murthered by the meanes of his owne sister Quendred, the order of hir
wicked practise; his death prophesied or foreshewed by a signe, the
kings of Mercia put by their roialtie one after another, the kingdome
of Britaine beginneth to be a monarchie; Ethelwulfe king of the
Westsaxons, he marrieth his butlers daughter, his disposition; the
fourth destruction of this land by forren enimies, the Danes sought
the ruine of this Ile, how long they afflicted and troubled the same;
two notable bishops and verie seruiceable to king Ethelwulfe in warre,
the Danes discomfited, the Englishmen chased, Ethelwulfs great
victorie ouer the Danes, a great slaughter of them at Tenet, king
Ethelwulfs deuotion and liberalitie to churches, Peter pence paid to
Rome, he marieth the ladie Iudith, his two sonnes conspire (vpon
occasion of breaking a law) to depose him, king Ethelwulfe dieth, his
foure sonnes by his first wife Osburga, how he bequeathed his
kingdoms._