[Sidenote: EADBERT king of Northumberland. 758.]
When Eadbert or Egbert K. of Northumberland was become a moonke,
his sonne Osulphus succéeded him: but after he had reigned onelie
one yeare, he was traitorouslie murthered by his owne seruants at
Mikilwongton, on the 9 kalends of August. Then succéeded one Moll,
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Hen. Hunt._ Edilwold king of Northumberland.
_Simon Dun._ _Henr. Hunt._]
otherwise called Edilwold or Edilwald, but not immediatlie, for he
began not his reigne till the nones of August in the yeare following,
which was after the birth of our sauiour 759.
This man prooued right valiant in gouernement of his subiects. He
slue in battell an earle of his countrie named Oswin, who arrearing
warre against him, fought with him in a pitcht field at Eadwines
Cliue, and receiued the worthie reward of rebellion.
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ 764.]
This chanced in the third yeare of his reigne, and shortlie after,
that is to say, in the yeare of our Lord 764, there fell such a
maruellous great snow, and therwith so extreame a frost, as the like
had not béene heard of, continuing from the beginning of the winter,
almost till the middest of the spring, with the rigour whereof, trees
and fruits withered awaie, and lost their liuelie shape and growth:
and not onelie feathered foules, but also beasts on the land, & fishes
in the sea died in great numbers. The same yeare died Ceolwulf then
king of Northumberland, vnto whome Beda did dedicate his booke of
[Sidenote: Moonks licenced to drinke wine.]
histories of the English nation. After that he was become a moonke
in the monasterie of Lindesferne, the moonks of that house had licence
to drinke wine, or ale, whereas before they might not drinke anie
other thing than milke, or water, by the ancient rule prescribed them
of the bishop Aidan first founder of the place. The same yeare sundrie
cities, townes, and monasteries were defaced and sore wasted with fier
chancing on the sudden, as Stretehu, Giwento, Anwicke, London, Yorke,
Doncaster, &c.
After that Moll had reigned 6 yeares, he resigned his kingdome. But
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ Altred began his reigne in the yeare 765 as
_Sim. Dun._ saith.]
other write that he reigned 11 yeares, and was in the end slaine by
treason of his successor Altred. This Altred reigned ten years ouer
the Northumbers, and was then expelled out of his kingdome by his
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._ _Matth. West._ Ethelbert.]
owne subiects. Then was Ethelbert, named also Edelred, the sonne of
the foresaid Moll, made king of Northumberland, and in the fift yeare
of his reigne, he was driuen out of his kingdome by two dukes of his
countrie named Edelbald and Herebert, who mouing warre against him,
had slaine first Aldulfe the sonne of Bosa the generall of his armie
at Kingescliffe; and after Kinewulfe and Egga, other two of his dukes,
at Helatherne in a sore foughten field: so that Ethelbert despairing
of all recouerie, was constrained to get him out of the countrie.
And thus was the kingdome of Northumberland brought into a miserable
state, by the ambitious working of the princes and nobles of the same.
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._ _Iohn Capgraue_. _Matth. West._ and others.
Ethelbert king of Eastangles.]
After that Ethelbert king of Eastangles was dead, his sonne
Ethelbert succéeded him, a prince of great towardnesse, and so
vertuouslie brought vp by his fathers circumspect care and diligence,
that he vtterlie abhorred vice, and delighted onelie in vertue and
commendable exercises, for the better atteining to knowledge and
vnderstanding of good sciences. There remaine manie sundrie saiengs &
dooings of him, manifestlie bearing witnesse that there could not
[Sidenote: The saieng of king Ethelbert.]
be a man more honorable, thankefull, courteous or gentle. Amongest
other he had this saieng oftentimes in his mouth, that the greater
that men were, the more humble they ought to beare themselues: for the
Lord putteth proud and mightie men from their seates, and exalteth the
humble and méeke.
Moreouer he did not onelie shew himselfe wise in words, but desired
also to excell in staiednesse of maners, and continencie of life.
Whereby he wan to him the hearts of his people, who perceiuing that he
was nothing delighted in the companie of women, and therefore minded
not mariage, they of a singular loue and fauour towards him, required
that he should in anie wise yet take a wife, that he might haue issue
to succéed him. At length the matter being referred to his councell,
he was persuaded to follow their aduises. And so Alfreda the daughter
of Offa king of Mercia was affianced to him: so that he himselfe
appointed (as meanes to procure more fauour at his father in lawes
hands) to go fetch the bride from hir fathers house.
Manie strange things that happened to him in taking vpon him this
[Sidenote: Tokens of mishap to follow.]
iournie, put him in great doubt of that which should follow. He was
no sooner mounted on his horsse, but that (as séemed to him) the earth
shooke vnder him: againe, as he was in his iournie, about the mid-time
of the day, such a darke mist compassed him on ech side, that he could
not sée nor discerne for a certeine time anie thing about him at all:
lastlie, as he laie one night asléepe, he thought he saw in a dreame
the roofe of his owne palace fall downe to the ground. But though
with these things he was brought into great feare, yet he kept on his
[Sidenote: The innocent mistrustfull of no euill.]
iournie, as he that mistrusted no deceit, measuring other mens
maners by his owne. King Offa right honourablie receiued him: but his
wife named Quendred, a wise woman, but therewith wicked, conceiued a
malicious deuise in hir hart, & streightwaies went about to persuade
hir husband to put it in execution, which was to murther king
Ethelbert, and after to take into his hands his kingdome.
Offa at the first was offended with his wife for this motion, but
[Sidenote: _Iohn Capgr._ Winnebert.]
in the end, through the importunate request of the woman, he
consented to hir mind. The order of the murther was committed vnto one
Winnebert, that had serued both the said Ethelbert & his father
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._ saith 771.]
before time, the which feining as though he had béene sent from Offa
[Sidenote: Offa conquereth Eastangles.]
to will Ethelbert to come vnto him in the night season, slue
him that once mistrusted not anie such treason. Offa hauing thus
dispatched Ethelbert, inuaded his kingdome, and conquered it.
But when the bride Alfreda vnderstood the death of hir liked make and
bridegrome, abhorring the fact, she curssed father and mother, and
as it were inspired with the spirit of prophesie, pronounced that
woorthie punishment would shortlie fall on hir wicked mother for
hir heinous crime committed in persuading so detestable a déed: and
[Sidenote: Alfreda a nun. _Beda_. _Matth. West._]
according to hir woords it came to passe, for hir mother died
miserablie within three moneths after. The maid Alfreda refusing the
world, professed hirselfe a nun at Crowland, the which place began
to wax famous about the yéere of our Lord 695, by the meanes of one
Gutlake, a man esteemed of great vertue and holinesse, which chose to
himselfe an habitation there, and departing this life about the yéere
of our Lord 714, was buried in that place, where afterwards an abbeie
of moonks was builded of saint Benets order. The bodie of K. Ethelbert
at length was buried at Hereford, though first it was committed to
buriall in a vile place, néere to the banke of a riuer called Lug.
The kingdome of Eastangles from thencefoorth was brought so into
decaie, that it remained subiect one while vnto them of Mercia, an
other while vnto the Westsaxons, and somewhile vnto them of Kent, till
that Edmund surnamed the martyr got the gouernment thereof (as after
shall appéere.) After that Selred king of the Eastsaxons had gouerned
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
the tearme of 38 yéeres, he was slaine, but in what maner, writers
haue not expressed. After him succéeded one Swithed or Swithred, the
11 and last in number that particularlie gouerned those people. He was
finallie expelled by Egbert K. of Westsaxons, the same yéere that the
said Egbert ouercame the Kentishmen (as after shall be shewed) and so
the kings of that kingdome of the Eastsaxons ceassed and tooke end.
[Sidenote: Friswide a virgine.]
¶ About this time, there was a maid in Oxford named Friswide,
daughter to a certeine duke or noble man called Didanus, with whome
one Algar a prince in those parties fell in loue, and would haue
rauished hir, but God the reuenger of sinnes was at hand (as the
storie saith.) For when Algar followed the maid that fled before him,
she getting into the towne, the gate was shut against him, and his
sight also was suddenlie taken from him. But the maid by hir praiers
pacified Gods wrath towards him, so that his sight was againe restored
to him. But whether this be a fable or a true tale, héereof grew the
report, that the kings of this realme long times after were afraid to
enter into the citie of Oxford. So easilie is the mind of man turned
to superstition (as saith Polydor.)
* * * * *
_Kinewulfe king of Westsaxons, his conquest ouer the Britains, his
securitie and negligence, he is slaine by conspirators, inquisition
for Kineard the principall procurer of that mischiefe, he is slaine in
fight; legats from the pope to the kings and archbishops of this land
about reformation in the church, a councell holden at Mercia;
iudge Bearne burnt to death for crueltie, Alfwold reigneth ouer
Northumberland, his owne subiects murther him; a booke of articles
sent by Charles king of France into Britaine quite contrarie to the
christian faith, Albinus writeth against it; great waste by tempests
of wind and rage of fire._