[Sidenote: BRITRICUS. _Hen. Hunt._ _Matt. West._ saith 787.
_Simon Dun._ saith 786.]
After Kenwulfe, one Britricus or Brightrike was ordeined king of
Westsaxons, and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787, which
was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with
hir son Constantinus, and about the second yeere of the reigne of
Achaius K. of Scots. This Brightrike was descended of the line of
Cerdicus the first king of Westsaxons, the 16 in number from him. He
was a man of nature quiet & temperate, more desirous of peace than of
warre, and therefore he stood in doubt of the noble valiancie of one
Egbert, which after succéeded him in the kingdome. The linage of
Cerdicus was in that season so confounded and mingled, that euerie
one as he grew in greatest power, stroue to be king and supreame
gouernour. But speciallie Egbertus was knowne to be one that coueted
that place, as he that was of the bloud roiall, and a man of great
[Sidenote: Egbert banished.]
power and lustie courage. King Brightrike therefore to liue in more
safetie, banished him the land, and appointed him to go into France.
Egbert vnderstanding certeinlie that this his departure into a
forreine countrie should aduance him in time, obeied the kings
pleasure.
[Sidenote: A strange woonder.]
About the third yéere of Brightrikes reigne, there fell vpon mens
garments, as they walked abroad, crosses of bloudie colour, and bloud
fell from heauen as drops of raine. Some tooke this woonder for
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._ _Wil. Malm._ _Hen. Hunt._
Danes.]
a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes: for
shortlie after, in the yeere insuing, there arriued thrée Danish ships
vpon the English coasts, against whome the lieutenant of the parties
adjoining made foorth, to apprehend those that were come on land,
howbeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashlie amongst them, he was slaine:
but afterwards when the Danes perceiued that the people of the
countries about began to assemble, and were comming against them, they
fled to their ships, and left their prey and spoile behind them for
that time. These were the first Danes that arriued here in this land,
being onelie sent (as was perceiued after) to view the countrie and
coasts of the same, to vnderstand how with a greater power they might
be able to inuade it, as shortlie after they did, and warred so with
the Englishmen, that they got a great part of the land, and held it in
their owne possession. In the tenth yéere of king Brightrikes reigne,
there were séene in the aire firie dragons flieng, which betokened
(as was thought) two grieuous plagues that followed. First a great
[Sidenote: Famin & war signified.]
dearth and famine: and secondlie a cruell war of the Danes, which
shortlie followed, as ye shall heare.
Finallie, after that Brightrike had reigned the space of 16 yéeres, he
[Sidenote: _Ran. Cest. lib. 5. cap. 25_. Brightrike departed this life.]
departed this life, and was buried at Warham. Some write that he
was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga daughter vnto Offa king of Mercia
(as before ye haue heard) and he maried hir in the fourth yere of
his reigne. She is noted by writers to haue bin a verie euill woman,
proud, and high-minded as Lucifer, and therewith disdainful. She bare
[Sidenote: Ethelburga hir conditions and wicked nature.]
hir the more statelie, by reason of hir fathers great fame and
magnificence: whome she hated she would accuse to hir husband, and so
put them in danger of their liues. And if she might not so wreake hir
rancour, she would not sticke to poison them.
It happened one day, as she meant to haue poisoned a yoong gentleman,
against whome she had a quarell, the king chanced to tast of that cup,
and died thereof (as before ye haue heard.) Hir purpose indeed was not
to haue poisoned the king, but onelie the yoong gentleman, the which
drinking after the king, died also, the poison was so strong and
[Sidenote: A decrée of the kings of the Westsaxons against their
wiues.]
vehement. For hir heinous crime it is said that the kings of the
Westsaxons would not suffer their wiues to be called quéenes, nor
permit them to sit with them in open places (where their maiesties
should bée shewed) manie yéeres after. Ethelburga fearing punishment,
fled into France with great riches and treasure, & was well cherished
[Sidenote: The end of Ethelburga. _Simon Dun._]
in the court of king Charles at the first, but after she was thrust
into an abbeie, and demeaned hirselfe so lewdlie there, in keeping
companie with one of hir owne countriemen, that she was banished the
house, and after died in great miserie.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ Kenulfe.]
Egbert king of Mercia departing this life, after he had reigned
foure moneths, ordeined his coosine Kenulfe to succeed in his place,
which Kenulfe was come of the line of Penda king of Mercia, as
rightlie descended from his brother Kenwalke. This Kenulfe for his
noble courage, wisdome, and vpright dealing, was woorthie to be
compared with the best princes that haue reigned. His vertues passed
his fame: nothing he did that enuie could with iust cause reprooue. At
home he shewed himselfe godlie and religious, in warre he became
[Sidenote: The archbishops sée restored to Canturburie.]
victorious, he restored the archbishops sée againe to Canturburie,
wherein his humblenes was to be praised, that made no account of
worldlie honour in his prouince, so that the order of the ancient
canons might be obserued. He had wars left him as it were by
succession from his predecessour Offa against them of Kent, and
thervpon entring that countrie with a mightie armie, wasted and
[Sidenote: The king of Kent taken prisoner.]
spoiled the same, and encountering in battell with king Edbert or
Ethelbert, otherwise called Prenne, ouerthrew his armie, and tooke him
prisoner in the field, but afterwards he released him to his
great praise and commendation. For whereas he builded a church at
Winchcombe, vpon the day of the dedication thereof, he led the Kentish
king as then his prisoner, vp to the high altar, and there set him at
libertie, declaring thereby a great proofe of his good nature.
There were present at that sight, Cuthred whom he had made king of
Kent in place of Ethelbert, or Edbert, with 13 bishops, and 10 dukes.
The noise that was made of the people in reioising at the kings
bountious liberalitie was maruellous. For not onelie he thus
[Sidenote: Kenulfs liberalitie towards churchmen which was not
forgotten by them in their histories.]
restored the Kentish king to libertie, but also bestowed great rewards
vpon all the prelates and noble men that were come to the feast,
euerie priest had a peece of gold, and euerie moonke a shilling. Also
he dealt and gaue away great gifts amongst the people, and founded
in that place an abbeie, indowing the same with great possessions.
Finallie, after he had reigned 24 yéeres, he departed this life, and
appointed his buriall to be in the same abbeie of Winchcombe, leauing
behind him a sonne named Kenelme, who succeeded his father in the
kingdome, but was soone murthered by his vnnaturall sister Quendred,
the 17 of Iulie, as hereafter shall be shewed.
* * * * *
_Osrike king of Northumberland leaueth the kingdome to Edelbert
reuoked out of exile, king Alfwalds sons miserablie slaine, Osred is
put to death, Ethelbert putteth away his wife and marieth another, his
people rise against him therefore and kill him, Oswald succeeding him
is driuen out of the land; Ardulfe king of Northumberland, duke Wade
raiseth warre against him and is discomfited; duke Aldred is slaine;
a sore battell fought in Northumberland, the English men aflict one
another with ciuill warres; king Ardulfe deposed from his estate;
the regiment of the Northumbers refused as dangerous and deadlie by
destinie, what befell them in lieu of their disloialtie; the Danes
inuade their land and are vanquished; the roiall race of the Kentish
kings decaieth, the state of that kingdome; the primasie restored to
the see of Canturburie, Egbert (after the death of Britricus) is sent
for to vndertake the gouernement of the Westsaxons, his linage._