[Sidenote: OFFA. 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
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Wil. Malm._]
gouernment of that kingdome 758, a man of such stoutnesse of
stomach, 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
[Sidenote: The victories of king Offa. _Matth. West._ 779.]
ouermatch 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.
[Sidenote: The archbishops sée remoued from Canturburie to Lichfield.
785.]
He 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 purpose to passe in the court of Rome, and at length by
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
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
[Sidenote: Offa alieth himselfe with other princes.]
Malmesburie of a part of hir reuenues. Because of these & other his
hard dooings, doubting the malice of his enimies, he procured the
friendship of forren princes. Vnto Brightricke king of the
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
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
[Sidenote: The intercourse of merchants staied.]
before there had depended 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
[Sidenote: Alcwine an Englishman.]
(as is reported) was that famous 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
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
and wickednesse) granted the tenth part of all his goods vnto
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
[Sidenote: 775.]
before he had doone at saint Albons. Moreouer he went vnto Rome,
about 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
[Sidenote: Peter pence, or Rome Scot. _Will. Malmes._ 797.]
vnto 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,
[Sidenote: Offa departed this life.]
he caused 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.
[Sidenote: Offditch.]
This 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
[Sidenote: Egfrid king of Mercia.]
called 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._