[Sidenote: KINEWULF. _Hen. Hunt._ 756.]
After that the Westsaxons had depriued their vnprofitable king
Sigibert, they aduanced Kinewulfe, or Cinevulfus, the which began his
reigne about the yéere of our Lord 756, which was in the 16 yéere of
the emperor Constantinus, surnamed Copronimos, in the 6 yéere of
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun. saith 755_.]
the reigne of Pipin king of France, and about the 22 yéere of Ethfine
king of Scots. This Kinewulfe prooued a right woorthie and valiant
prince, and was descended of the right line of Cerdicus. He obteined
[Sidenote: The Britains vanquished.]
great victories against the Britains or Welshmen, but at Bensington
or Benton he lost a battell against Offa king of Mercia, in the 24
yéere of his reigne: and from that time forward tasting manie
displeasures, at length through his owne follie came vnto a shamefull
end. For whereas he had reigned a long time neither slouthfullie nor
presumptuouslie, yet now as it were aduanced with the glorie of things
passed, he either thought that nothing could go against him, or else
doubted the suertie of their state whom he should leaue behind him,
and therefore he confined one Kineard the brother of Sigibert, whose
fame he perceiued to increase more than he would haue wished.
This Kineard dissembling the matter, as he that could giue place to
time, got him out of the countrie, and after by a secret conspiracie
assembled togither a knot of vngratious companie, and returning
priuilie into the countrie againe, watched his time, till he espied
that the king with a small number of his seruants was come vnto the
house of a noble woman, whome he kept a paramour at Merton, wherevpon
the said Kineard vpon the sudden beset the house round about. The king
perceiuing himselfe thus besieged of his enimies, at the first caused
the doores to be shut, supposing either by curteous woords to appease
his enimies, or with his princelie authoritie to put them in feare.
But when he saw that by neither meane he could doo good, in a great
chafe he brake foorth of the house vpon Kineard, and went verie néere
to haue killed him: but being compassed about with multitude of
enimies, whilest he stood at defense, thinking it a dishonour for
[Sidenote: Kinewulfe slaine by conspirators.]
him to flée, he was beaten downe and slaine, togither with those few
of his seruants which he had there with him, who chose rather to die
in séeking reuenge of their maisters death than by cowardise to yéeld
themselues into the murtherers hands. There escaped none except one
Welshman or Britaine, an hostage, who was neuerthelesse sore wounded
and hurt.
The brute of such an heinous act was streightwaies blowne ouer all,
and brought with speed to the eares of the noble men and peeres of the
realme, which were not farre off the place where this slaughter had
béene committed. Amongst other, one Osrike, for his age and wisedome
accounted of most authoritie, exhorted the residue that in no wise
they should suffer the death of their souereigne lord to passe
vnpunished vnto their perpetuall shame and reproofe. Wherevpon in all
hast they ran to the place where they knew to find Kineard, who at the
first began to please his cause, to make large promises, to pretend
coosenage, and so foorth: but when he perceiued all that he could
say or doo might not preuaile, he incouraged his companie to shew
themselues valiant, and to resist their enimies to the vttermost of
their powers. Heerevpon followed a doubtfull fight, the one part
striuing to saue their liues, and the other to atteine honour, and
punish the slaughter of their souereigne lord. At length the victorie
rested on the side where the right was, so that the wicked murtherer
after he had fought a while, at length was slaine, togither with
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _H. Hunt_]
fourescore and eight of his mates. The kings bodie was buried at
Winchester, & the murtherers at Repingdon. Such was the end of king
Kinewulfe, after he had reigned the tearme of 31 yéeres.
[Sidenote: _Eccle. hist. Magd._ 786]
In the yeere of our Lord 786, pope Adrian sent two legats into
England, Gregorie, or (as some copies haue) George bishop of Ostia,
and Theophylactus bishop of Tuderto, with letters commendatorie vnto
Offa king of Mercia, Alfwold king of Northumberland, Ieanbright or
Lambert archbishop of Canturburie, and Eaubald archbishop of Yorke.
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._ Legats from the pope.]
These legats were gladlie receiued, not onlie by the foresaid
kings and archbishops, but also of all other the high estates, aswell
spirituall as temporall of the land, & namelie of Kinewulfe king of
the Westsaxons, which repaired vnto king Offa to take counsell with
him for reformation of such articles as were conteined in the popes
letters.
[Sidenote: Twentie articles which the legats had to propone.]
There were twentie seuerall articles which they had to propone on
the popes behalfe, as touching the receiuing of the faith or articles
established by the Nicene councell, and obeieng of the other generall
councels, with instructions concerning baptisme and kéeping of synods
yéerelie, for the examination of priests and ministers, and reforming
of naughtie liuers. Moreouer touching discretion to be vsed in
admitting of gouernors in monasteries, and curats or priests to the
ministerie in churches: and further for the behauior of priests in
wearing their apparell, namelie that they should not presume to come
to the altar bare legged, lest their dishonestie might be discouered.
And that in no wise the chalice or paten were made of the horne of an
oxe, bicause the same is bloudie of nature: nor the host of a crust,
but of pure bread. Also whereas bishops vsed to sit in councels to
iudge in secular causes, they were now forbidden so to doo.
Manie other things were as meanes of reformation articled, both for
spirituall causes, and also concerning ciuill ordinances, as disabling
children to be heirs to the parents, which by them were not begot
[Sidenote: Nuns concubines.]
in lawfull matrimonie but on concubines, whether they were nunnes
or secular women. Also of paiment of tithes, performing of vowes,
auoiding of vndecent apparell, and abolishing of all maner of
heathenish vsages and customes that sounded contrarie to the order
[Sidenote: Curtailing of horsses.]
of christanitie, as curtailing of horsses, and eating of horsses
flesh. These things with manie other expressed in 20 principall
articles (as we haue said) were first concluded to be receiued by the
church of the Northumbers in a councell holden there, and subscribed
by Alfwold king of the Northumbers, by Delberike bishop of Hexham, by
Eubald archbishop of Yorke, Higwald bishop of Lindisferne, Edelbert
bishop of Whiterne, Aldulfe bishop of Mieth, Ethelwine also another
bishop by his deputies, with a number of other of the clergie; and
lords also of the temporaltie, as duke Alrike, duke Segwulfe, abbat
Alebericke, and abbat Erhard. After this confirmation had of the
Northumbers, there was also a councell holden in Mercia at Cealtide,
in the which these persons subscribed, Iambert or Lambert archbishop
of Canturburie, Offa king of Mercia, Hughbright bishop of Lichfield,
Edeulfe bishop of Faron, with Vnwone bishop of Ligor, and nine other
bishops, besides abbats; and thrée dukes, as Brorda, Farwald, and
Bercoald, with earle Othbald.
But now to returne backe to speake of other dooings, as in other parts
of this land they fell out. About the yéere of our Lord 764, the sée
of Canturburie being void, one Iambert or Lambert was elected
[Sidenote: 764.]
archbishop there, and in the yéere 766, the archbishop of Yorke Egbert
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._ saith 780]
departed this life, in whose place one Adelbert succéeded. About
the 25 yéere of Kenwulf king of Westsaxons, the Northumbers hauing to
their capteine two noble men, Osbald and Ethelherard, burned one
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
of their iudges named Bearne, bicause he was more cruell in iudgement
(as they tooke the matter) than reason required. In which vengeance
executed vpon the cruell iudge (if he were so seuere as this attempt
of the two noble men dooth offer the readers to suspect) all such of
his liuerie & calling are taught lenitie & mildnes, wherwith they
should leuen the rigor of the lawe. For
[Sidenote: _Ouid. lib. 2. de art. am._]
------capit indulgentia mentes,
Asperitas odium sæuáque bella mouet.
Odimus accipitrem, quia viuit semper in armis,
Er pauidum solitos in pecus ire lupos.
At caret insidijs hominum, quia mitis hirundo est,
Quásque colat turres Chaonîs ales habet.
At the same time, one Aswald or Alfewald reigned ouer the Northumbers,
being admitted K. after that Ethelbert was expelled, and when the
[Sidenote: He began his reigne _ann._ 779, as saith _Simon Dun._ and
reigned but ten yéeres.]
same Alfwald had reigned 10, or (as some say) 11 yéeres, he was
traitorouslie and without all guilt made away; the chéefe conspirator
was named Siga. The same Alfwald was a iust prince, and woorthilie
gouerned the Northumbers to his high praise and commendation. He was
murthered by his owne people (as before ye haue heard) the 23 of
September, in the yéere of our Lord 788, and was buried at Hexham.
[Sidenote: 788. _Matth. West._ _Simon Dun._ 792.]
In the yéere 792, Charles king of France sent a booke into
Britaine, which was sent vnto him from Constantinople, conteining
certeine articles agreed vpon in a synod (wherein were present aboue
the number of thrée hundred bishops) quite contrarie and disagréeing
from the true faith, namelie in this, that images ought to be
worshipped, which the church of God vtterlie abhorreth. Against this
booke Albinus that famous clearke wrote a treatise confirmed with
places taken out of holie scripture, which treatise, with the booke in
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dunel._ 800.]
name of all the bishops and princes of Britaine, he presented vnto
the king of France. ¶ In the yéere 800, on Christmasse éeuen chanced a
maruellous tempest of wind, which ouerthrew whole cities and townes in
diuerse places, and trees in great number, beside other harmes which
it did, as by death of cattell, &c. In the yeere following a great
part of London was consumed by fire.
* * * * *
_Britricus K. of the Westsaxons, his inclination, Egbert being of the
bloud roiall is banished the land, & why; crosses of bloudie colour
and drops of bloud fell from heauen, what they did prognosticate; the
first Danes that arriued on the English coasts, and the cause of their
comming; firie dragons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine
and warre; Britricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga, hir ill
qualities; why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues
should not be called queenes, the miserable end of Ethelburga; Kenulfe
king of Mercia, his vertues, he restoreth the archbishops see to
Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield, he inuadeth Kent,
taketh the king prisoner in the field, and bountifullie setteth him at
libertie, the great ioy of the people therevpon; his rare liberalitie
to churchmen, his death and buriall._