might be laid prostrate in humility but let this your humility have its confidence too for I a Sinner have most certain hope that your sins are forgiven through the grace of our Omnipotent Creator and God our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ. And to this end you were Elected that others sins might be forgiven through you Neither shall you hereafter find sorrow for any guilt because you endeavour to make joy in Heaven by the conversion of so many the same our Creator and Redeemer when he speaks of the repentance of Man saies I say thus unto you There shall be greater joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repents than over ninety nine Just persons that need no repentanca Now if over one Penitent there is made great joy in Heaven what great rejoyceing do we think there was at the conversion of such a number of People from their Errours who coming to the faith by repentance has condemned the evil it had done Amidst therefore the joy of Heaven and the Angels let us repeat those words of the Angels which we said before let us say therefore Glory be to God on high and on earth peace good will towards men Observations upon this Epistle Bede recites this Epistle but not all only as much of it as is included within these two fore-going Marks as thus ††but the Date which is here wanting he shews for when he writ a Letter to Melitus going into Britain dated as you see above the fifteenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of our said Lord the eighteenth year in the fourth Indiction He adds in the following Chapter about which time he sent a Letter to Augustine concerning Miracles which he knew were wrought by him in which lest through the number of them he should incur the danger of self-opinion and pride he exhorts him in these words I know Most Dear Brother that Almighty God c. as above That date of the fifteenth of the Kalends of July agrees with the year of our Lord 601 about which time he wrote more Epistles Gregory To Aldiberga Queen of the English HE that desires after this Earthly dominion to acquire the glory of an Heavenly kingdom to gain his ends ought diligently to labour in the service of his Creator that by degrees of working he may attain to what he desires which we rejoyce you have done our Beloved Son Laurence the Priest and Peter the Monk at their return related in what manner your Majesty behaved it self towards our most Reverend Brother and Follow Bishop Augustine and what assistances and comfort you bestowed on them likewise And indeed we bless Almighty God who out of his mercy propitiously vouchsafed to reserve the Conversion of the English Nation for your glory and advancage For as by Helen of Blessed memory the Mother of the most pious Emperour Constantine he inflamed the hearts of the Romans towards the Christian Faith So in regard of the frequent Zeal of your Majesty we hope his mercy will effectually work upon the English Nation And indeed you ought also long since by your good prudence which is purely Christian to have inclined the mind of our most glorious Son your Husband that for the good of his Kingdom and of his own Soul he should follow that Faith which you profess forasmuch as by him and through him in the Conversion of the whole Nation a reward worthy of you would spring up in the joyes of heaven Since as we have said your Highness hath been confirmed in the right Faith and taught the Scriptures this thing ought not to have been difficult or tedious to you And because by God's appointment a fit time is now offered strive the Divine grace assisting you to repair with gain what has hitherto been neglected therefore by daily exhortations strengthen the mind of your most Glorious Husband in the love of the Christian Faith Let your care and example increase in him a love towards God and let it so stir up his mind especially for a through Conversion of the whole Nation under yee that from the servency of his devotion yee may offer up to Almighty God an acceptable sacrifice that those things which are reported of you may increase and in all respects be found true concerning you Your excellent vertues are not only known to the Romans who more particularly pray for your life but also in divers places even as far as Constantinople to the most excellent Emperour that as we have joy in the consolation of your Christianity so also in the Heavens the Angels may rejoyce at your further perfection So therefore with all diligence and devotion apply your selves to the assistance of our above-named Reverend Brother and Fellow Bishop and of the rest of the Servants of God whom we sent thither for the conversion of of your Nation that with our Most glorious Son and your Husband you may reign with happiness here and after a long time of years attain to the endless joyes of the life to come We beseech Almighty God that he would inflame the heart of your Majesty with the fire of his Grace to a performance of these things we have spoken of and of his good pleasure grant you the fruit of an eternal Reward Observations upon this Epistle It may be doubted what Queen of England this Adilberga was for the Wife of King Edilbert was called Bertha as Bede affirms lib. 1. cap. 25. but I think them both the same but as it commonly happens strange words are ill rendred by Forreigners as hero Bdrga for Bertha for Ald and Aldi are sometimes corruptly added in proper names for Edil and Athel signlfying in the Saxon Language Noble or Honourable which may be seen in the Title of the following Epistle where Gregory calls the King Aldibert whom Bede every where calls Edilberth others for the most part Ethelbert Ald also because it properly signifies Old may by Translation denote Honourable and may seem to be added to the name of Berga or Bertha as an honourable Attribute so that Aldi-berga signifies the same with Noble and Honourable Berga or Bertha Gregory To Aldibert King of the English He congratulates with him concerning the Conversion of that Nation FOR this reason Almighty God commonly advances the best Men to the government of Nations that by them the gifts of his Grace might be dispersed among all those whom they are set over which thing we know has been done in the English Nation over which Your Majesty was therefore made chief that by the good qualities that are given you You might the better convey those Heavenly comforts to the Nation under your subjection And therefore Most Renowned Son carefully preserve that Grace which you have received by the especial providence of God make haste to propagate the Christian Faith among your Subjects increase the servency of your own Faith in furthering their
my Honour is the same honour of the whole Church my Honour is the full vigor of my Brethren then therefore I am truly honoured when no body is denied the honour due to him For if your Holiness calls me Universal Bishop it denies it self to be at all what it confesses me to be only that is Universal but God forbid this Away with those words stir up Pride and wound charity and indeed your Holiness well knows that this Title was offered my Predecessor in the holy Counsel of Chalcedonia and afterwards by succeeding Fathers but none of them would ever accept of this Title that whilst carefully in this World they respected the honour of all the Clergy in general they might preserve their own entire with God Almighty Wherefore paying you due custome of Greeting I desire you would be pleased to be mindful of us in your Prayers that from the chains of my sins because of mine own merits I am not able through your intercession God would deliver me Observations upon this Epistle The Annexer of the Title has not done ingeniously in this Epistle for he saies that in the Councel of Chaleedon the Pope was stiled UNIVERSAL not making any mention how that Title was rejected by the Pope and all his Successors as Gregory shews but was also vehemently exploded and cast off by Gregory himself in this Epistle of which he has not taken the least notice in the Title Gregory To Menna of Tolouse To Serenus of Marseilles To Lupus of Cavation To Agilius of Meris To Simplicius of Paris To Melantius of Roan and To Licinius Fellow Bishops of the Frankes ALthough the care of the office ye have undertaken might sufficiently admonish your Brotherhood with your utmost endeavours to assist Religious persons and especially those that labour in the cure of Souls yet it will not be amiss if with this our Epistle we stir up your vigilancy For as the fire by the fanning of the wind is made greater so the affections of a good mind are embettered by commendation Because therefore the grace of our Redeemer cooperating so great a multitude of the English are converted to the Christian faith that our most Reverend and Common Brother and Fellow Bishop Augustine affirms that those that are with him are not sufficient for the execution of this work in divers Places We have provided that some Monks should be sent over to him with our beloved and common Sons Laurentius the Priest and Miletus the Abbot and therefore let your Brotherhood afford them that charity it ought and speedily help them with those succours that are necessary for as much as by your assistance all obstructions and causes of delaies will be removed So that they being relieved by your charity may rejoyce together with you and you by freely bestowing it may be found partakers with them in the work they are intended for Gregory the Great To Clotharius King of the Frankes AMongst the many troubles and cares you daily meet with in governing those Nations under you it is the highest honour and greatest advantage to appear in the Patronage of those that labour in the cause of God and because by many good Presidents you have shewn your self to be such that now we may presume better things of you we are the willinglier invited to desire those things of you which at last will return to your own benefit Some of those who went into England with our most Reverend Brother and Fellow-Bishop Augustine at their return have related with how great humanity and charity your Excellence entertained him in your own Court and with what succours you assisted him setting forward on his Journey But because those actions are most acceptable to God alwaies which recede not from good beginnings We salute You with a Fatherly affection desiring that the Monks the Bearers of these presents whom we have sent over to our foresaid Brother together with our beloved Sons Laurentius the Priest and Melitus the Abbot might be particularly respected by you and whatsoever it was you bestowed on those before for the plentiful increase of your Honour continue likewise to these that through your assistance they may without any delaies perform the Journey they have begun that God the Recompencer of all good works may be to you in prosperity a guardian and in adversity an helper Gregory To Brunichild Queen of the Frankes He returns Her thanks for assisting Augustine and exhorts her courteously to entertain the Monks that were sent unto him WE give thanks unto Almighty God who among the rest of the gifts of his grace bestowed on your Highness has so filled your breast with the love of Christian Religion that if you should know any thing tending to the benefit of Soula or the increase of your Faith you would never cease with a devout mind and pious endeavour to bring it to perfection With how great favour and courtesie your Highness assisted our most Reverend Brother and Fellow Bishop Augustine going for England Fame before hath not been silent and since the Monks that returned from him have more particularly related Your Christianity may be admired at by those that know but little of your favours but we that are experimentally acquainted with them have more reason to rejoyce than wonder because by charitably obliging others ye advantage your selves How great and what manner of Miracles our Redeemer has wrought in the Conversion of the aforesaid Nation is well known to your Highness for which reason ye ought exceedingly to rejoyce because your charity in this thing may claim to it self the greatest part by whose assistance next after God the word of Preaching became there manifest for he that furthers another's good consults his own And that the fruits of your reward may be the larger we desire that to the Monks Bearers of these presents whom with our beloved Sons Laurentius the Priest and Melitus the Abbot we have sent over to our foresaid most Reverend Brother and Fellow Bishop forasmuch as those that are with him are not sufficient for the work you would courteously grant the favour of your Patronage and vouchsafe to assist them in all things that the good beginnings of your Highness may still proceed unto better and that they meet with no delaies or difficulties in their Journey May you in as great a measure stir up God's mercy to be favourable to you and your posterity most Dear unto us as you for his love shall behave your selves with compassion in causes of this nature Gregory To Augustine Bishop of the English Of the Conversion of that Nation and that he should not glory in the power of Miracles which oftentimes wicked Men have performed GLory be to God on high and on earth peace good-will towards Men because a grain of corn falling dead upon the earth hath brought forth much fruit that it might not alone reign in heaven by whose Death we live by whose Infirmity we are
extendeth or the Mediterranean Gulf doth reach Neither are we ignorant although through fear of You that Infection spread through the bowels of Britain only and proceeded no farther with what rage it might have advanced it self elsewhere if it could have been assured of means to have ranged abroad so far as it desired for it was bounded in by no border of Mountain or River which by Garrisons appointed may be guarded and defended but was as free as the Ships themselves and might notwithstanding we have your Valour and Fortune to relieve us be continually at our elbows to affright us so far as either Sea reacheth or Wind bloweth For that incredible boldness and undeserved success of a few silly Captive Franks in the daies of PROBUS the Emperour came to our remembrance who conveying away certain Vessels from the Coast of Pontus wasted both Greece and Asia and not without great hurt and damage coasting upon Lybia at length took the City Saragose in Sicily a Port-Town in times past highly renowned for Victories at Sea and afterwards passing the Streights of Gibraltar came into the Ocean and so with the Fortunate success of many rash and presumptuous Attempts plainly shewed that nothing can be safe from the desperate boldness of Pirates wherever Ships can touch and have success So therefore by this Your Victory not Britain alone is delivered from Bondage but to all Nations safety is restored which might by the use of the Seas come to as great Perils in time of War as to gain of Commodities in time of Peace Now Spain to pass over the Coast of Gallia with her shoars almost in sight is in security Now Italy now Africk now all Nations even to the Fens of Maeotis are void of perpetual Cares neither are they less joyful the fear of Danger being taken away which to feel as yet necessity had not brought them but they rejoyce so much the more for this that by the direction of Your providence and the powerful concurrence of Your fortune so great a combination of Sea-men is broken their quarters beat up and Britain it self which had given harbour and protection to so long a Conspiracy was made sensible at last of your Victory by her restitution to peace and quietness Not without good cause therefore immediately when You her long wished Revenger and Deliverer was arrived Your Majesty was met with great Triumph and the Britains full of unspeakable Joy ran forth and presented themselves before you with their Wives and Children adoring not only your self whom they esteemed as one descended from Heaven but even the sails and tacklings of that Ship which had brought your Divine Presence on their Shoars And as soon as You had set foot on Land they were ready to prostrate themselves before you that you might as it were walk over the Necks of them who desired you above all things to do it Nor was it a wonder they were so Joyful seeing after their miserable Captivity so many years continued after so long abusing their Wives and the enslaving of their Children at length were they reitored to Liberty at length made Romans at length refreshed with the true light of the Imperial Rule and Government For besides the same of your Clemency and Goodness which was sounded forth by all Nations in Your Countenance Caesar they visibly read the Characters of all Vertues in your Face Gravity in your Eyes Mildness in your Ruddy complexion Bashfulness in your words Justice all which things as by Regard they acknowledged so with shouts of Joy they signified aloud To You they bound themselves by Vow to You they bound their Children yea and to your Children they devoted all the posterity of their Race and Off-spring We truly O perpetual Parents and Lords of Mankind implore this of the Immortal Gods with most earnest supplication and hearty prayer That our Children and their Children and such as shall spring from their Loyns for ever may be dedicated unto You and to those whom you now bring up or shall bring up bereafter For what greater happiness can we wish to them that shall succeed us than to be made partakers of that Felicity which at present we our selves enjoy The Roman Common-wealth doth now intirely possess in Peace and Union whatever formerly at sundry times and in scattered parcels belonged to it and that huge and vast Power which with its own burthen was sunk and riven asunder is now again closely compacted and joyned together by the sure ligaments of the Imperial Government For there is no part of the Earth or Region under Heaven but is either quieted by Fear subdued by Force or else won by Clemency Is there any thing else remaining behind to which the power and ambition of Man can extend beyond the Ocean what is there more than Britain which is so recovered by You that those Nations also adjoyning to it are subject to your Commands There is no occasion to invite you further except the ends of the Ocean which Nature forbiddeth should be sought for All is Yours Most Invincible Princes that is accounted worthy of you hence it proceedeth that you may equally provide for all since all is in your Majesties possession And therefore as heretofore Most Excellent Emperour DIOCLESIAN by Your appointment Asia supplied the Desert places of Thracia with Inhabitants transplanted thither as afterwards Most Excellent Emperour MAXIMIAN by Your orders the Franks at length brought to a pleasant subjection and reduced to Laws have Peopled and manured the empty possessions of the Nervians and the Neighbourhood of Trier so now by your Victories Invincible Constantius Caesar whatsoever lay vacant about Amiens Beavois Trois and Langres begins to flourish with Inhabitants of sundry Nations Moreover Your most loyal City of Autun for whose sake I have a peculiar cause to rejoyce by means of this glorious Victory in Britain hath received many and divers Artificers of whom these Provinces abounded and now by their Workmanship the same City riseth up by repairing her ancient Houses and restoring her publick Buildings and Temples so that now she accounteth her Ancient and friendly Incorporation with Rome renewed with advantage and that she hath You for her Founder SOME OBSERVATIONS Out of the fore-going PANEGYRICK THis is the sum and substance of that Panegyrick inticuled to MAXIMIAN out of which the History of the Wars against Carausius and Alectus is gathered I need not repeat those several Expressions therein which evidently set forth the considerable Power of this Nation united together though under Usurpers their dreadful Preparations by Sea which not only gave Alarums to Spain Gallia and Africk but even to Italy it self and as far as the Mediterranean extended The subduing of these Rebels was esteemed a Victory in which the power and strength of the whole Empire was engaged and that action of Constantius in firing of his Ships at his landing plainly shewed that he reckoned himself fighting for the last stake So
Convension Destroy the worship of Idols raze their Temples establish the Manners of your Subjects in the great Purity of good living by exhorting terrifying encouraging correcting and by showing the Examples of Good works that you may find him your Rewarder in Heaven whose name and knowledg you shall extend upon Earth for he shall make your Name more glorious to Posterity whose Honour you endeavour to advance and preserve in your Nation So formerly Constantine a most Pious Emperour freeing the Roman Commonwealth from the preverse worship of Idols submitted himself and It to our Almighty LORD Jesus Christ and applied himself and his Subjects with his whole mind unto GOD from whence it came to pass that he transcended his Predecessours as much in Fame as he exceeded them in good works And now therefore let your Majesty make all possible haste to disperse the knowledg of one GOD the Father Son and Holy Ghost to Kings and their Subjects that you may in commendation and merit pass the Ancient Kings of that Nation And by how much you endeavour to wipe away the sins of others by so much you may rest more secure of your own offences before the dreadful examination of Almighty God Our most Reverend Brother Augustine Bishop well taught in the rules of Monastick life filled with the knowledg of the Holy Scripture and endued through God's grace with good works whatsoever he shall advise you willingly hear devoutly perform and carefully lay up in your memory because if you shall hear him in that which he speaks for God Almighty the same Almighty God will the sooner hear him intreating for you But if which God forbid you should neglect his words when do you think Almighty God will hear him for you whom you neglected to hear for God With all your mind therefore joyn your self with him in the fervency of Faith and assist him relying on that power which God has given you that he may make you partakers of his Kingdom whose Faith you have received and endeavoured to preserve in your Kingdom Furthermore we would that your Majesty should understand that as we know in Sacred Writ out of the words of our Almighty Lord that the end of this present World is at hand and that the Kingdom of the Saints shall come of which there shall be no end But the end of the World drawing near many things shall happen which before were not viz. alterations of the Air terrours from Heaven and contrary to the course of Seasons Tempest Wars Famine Pestilences Earth-quakes in divers places all which shall not come to pass in our daies but all of them shall certainly follow our daies If therefore you shall find any of these things happen in your Land let your mind in no sort be disturbed because these signs concerning the end of the World are therefore sent before that we should be careful of our Souls mistrustful of the hour of death that we may be found in good works prepared for the Judg at his coming These things I have spoken to you in short Most Excellent Son that when the Christian Faith shall be increased in your Kingdom my discourse also may be inlarged towards you then 't will be more proper to speak more when the joyes for the perfect conversion of the whole Nation shall be multiplied in your breast We have sent you also some small Presents which will not be small unto you when you shall receive them from us with the benediction of the blessed Apostle Peter Almighty God preserve and perfect in you that Grace he hath begun and extend your life to the course of many years and after long time receive you into the Congregation of his Heavenly Country Let the Grace of Heaven my Royal Son keep your Highness safe Given the tenth of the Kalends of July in the nineteenth year of our Lord Mauritius Tiberlus Augustue Emperour after the Consulship of the same eighteenth year Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 161. Gregory To Virgilius Bishop of Arles He commends to him Bishop Augustine HOW great kindness ought to be shewn to Brethren coming of their own accord may be gathered from hence that to shew our charity they are most commonly invited by us and therefore if it should so fall out that our common Brother Bishop Augustine should come unto you let your charity as it ought receive him with all tenderness and affection and cherish him with the benefits of your consolation and teach others how fraternal charity ought to be respected And because it falls out that those that are furthest off commonly are informed first of what ought to be corrected if he shall make mention to your Brotherhood of any enormities committed either by Priests or others sitting with him by diligent search and scrutining examine all things and behave your selves so strict and careful in those things that offend God and provoke him to anger that for the example and amendment of others punishment only may strike the guilty and that false judgment afflict not the innocent Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July Indiction the fourth Bede after this saich Afflict not the Innocent here in the end and so goes on God keep you safe Most Reverend Brother Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of the said Lord the eighteenth year Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 601. Gregory To Melltus Abbot in France He gives Command to be sent to Augustine about the conversion of that Nation AFter the departure of our Congregation which is with you we were in great suspence because we could hear nothing of the happiness of your Journey but when it shall please Almighty God to bring you to our most Reverend Brother Bishop Augustine tell him I have a long time carefully considered of the condition of the English and am of opinion that the Temples of the Idols in that Nation ought by no means to be destroyed but only the Idols themselves that are in them Let holy water be provided and sprinkled about those Temples let Altars be built and Reliques kept in them For if those Churches are Elegantly built it is necessary they should be taken from the worship of Devils and appropriated to the service of the true God that whilst the people see their Churches are not destroyed they may put away their Errors from their hearts and knowing and worshipping the True God may more familiarly resort to those places they were wont to frequent And because many Oxen were wont to be slain in the sacrifice of Devils some other solemnity ought to be introduced instead of it that on the day of Dedication or Birth-day of the Holy Martyrs whose Reliques are there laid up let them make Arbors to themselves of the Branches of Trees about those Churches that were formerly Temples and let them celebrate the
and golden Letters these Verses Syderei montes speciosa cacumina Sion A Libano geminae flore comante Cedri Caelorum portae lati duo lumina mundi Ore tonat Paulus fulgurat arce Petrus Inter Apostolicas radianti luce coronas Doctior hic monitis celstor ille gradu Corda per hunc hominum reserantur aftr a per illum Quos docet iste stylo suscipit ille polo. Pandit iter coeli hic dogmate clavibus alter Est via cui Paulus janua fida Petrus Hic Petra firma manens ille Architectus habetur Surgit in his Templum quo placet ira Deo Anglia plaude lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glasconiam irradiat A sacie hostili duo propugnacula surgunt Quod fidei turres Vrbs caput orbis habet Haec pius egregio Rex INA refertus amore Dona suo populo non moritura a dedit Totus in affectu divae pietatis inhaerens Ecclesiaeque juges amplificavit opes Melchi-sedech noster meritò Rex atque Sacerdos Complevit verae relligionis opus Publica Jura regens celsa palatia servans Vnica Pontificum gloria norma fuit Hinc abiens illinc meritorum fulget honore Hic quoque gestorum laude perennis erit Sion whose losty Turrets reach the skie Two fair and blooming Cedars bear on high The World 's great Lights Two mighty Thunderers Paul from his mouth and Peter from his Towers Amidst th'Apostle's glorious Circle he Excels in Doctrine This in high Degree The one unlocks the Heart The other Heaven And lets those in who there by Paul are driven Paul is the Way and Peter is the Dore Who ope's what t'other's Doctrine did before This is the Rock but he the Builder is To both of these Temples and Altars rise England rejoyce Thee mighty Rome doth greet Th'Apostles Light in Glascon now does meet The same two Towers are rais'd against thy soes To whose Protection Rome her safety owes These Blessings here for ever to endure INA did by his proper means procure INA whose God-like Vertue constant is Whose daily bounty does the Church increase 'T is He this work did to perfection bring Our true Melchisedec both Priest and King A righteous Prince who Publick works redeems Of Priests th' Example and the Glory seems Departing hence his worth in Heaven doth shine His Name on Earth this Temple shall enshrine He gave moreover to it a stately Altar Chalice Censer Candlesticks Bason Bucket Images and Plate for the Altar The Gold belonging to it amounted to three hundred thirty three pounds weight and the silver to two thousand eight hundred thirty five pounds weight besides precious Jewels set upon the celebrating Vestures Besides this he granted large immunities and priviledges to it and exemption from Episcopal Jurisdiction as may be seen in his Charter of Donation yet extant He founded also a School at Rome for the breeding up of English Youth for the maintenance whereof as likewise for other Charitable uses he laid an Imposition throughout his whole Realm which was at first called the King's Alms afterwards claimed by the name of Peter-Pence After which resigning his Crown he went to Rome and took upon him the habit of a Monk in which not long after he ended his daies after he had reigned thirty seven years Ethelburga his Queen who by a stratagem not worth relating had brought her husband to give-up his Crown took upon her a Nuns Veil and was afterwards Abbess of Barking near London wherein she died ETHELARD ETHELARD to whom Ina at his departure to Rome bequeathed the Kingdom was lineally descended in the fourth degree from Kenbald elder Son of Cuthwin Son and Heir of Ceaulin third King of the West-Saxons though then in his minority put by the Crown In the beginning of his Reign he had a Contest with one Oswald his kinsman who pretended to the Right of succession but the controversie was soon decided by the interest and power of Ethelard and Oswald forced to quit his pretentions and Country to boot leaving Ethelard in the quiet possession of his Kingdom which he governed peaceably without any remarkable Action the space of fourteen years CUTHRED CUTHRED a Prince of the same Lineage succeeded His first beginnings were troublesom having to deal with Edtlbald King of Mercia a subtle and powerful Enemy who not only with open war invaded him but secretly encouraged Rebellion among his Subjects But in the fourth year of this King's Reign they came both to a conclusion of peace and with joynt forces set upon the Welch and overthrew them with great slaughter Seven years after he was engaged in Civil wars with one of his Nobles Adelm or Ethelhun a good Souldier but upon what occasion seditious is not mentioned With him encountring in a set battel he was almost overpower'd though far exceeding in numbers until Adelm receiving a wound minded therewith of his disloyalty slacked fight and was at the same time vanquisht and pardoned and in token of trust two years after in the wars with Edilbald the Mercian he received Commission from the King who reposed much confidence in his Valour which he so well executed that at Beorford now Eurford in Shropshire Edilbald was put to flight with the discomfiture of his whole Army Not long after he fought a battel with the Welch of whom he obtained an easie Victory and the year following died after he had Reigned fourteen years His only Son Kinric a youth of a violent spirit had been slain five years before his Father's death in a Mutiny of the Army as is said for his too rigorous discipline SIGIBERT SIGIBERT no Issue being left of the former Prince stept into the Throne having neither Title nor desert an insolent Tyrant at home bold and daring in wickedness but in the field soft and cowardly Advised of his miscarriages by Cumbrae one of his chief Captains and best Counsellers in recompence for his good will he barbarously flew him But not long after driven out of his Kingdom by consent of People and Nobility and flying into the wood Andredswald to hide himself in obscurity he was discovered at a place called Privetsfloud by a Swineherd of Cumbrae and known to be the King was there slain by him in revenge of his Master's death after he had reigned scarce two years KINWULF KINWULF after the death of Sigibert was with universal joy saluted King being of the Blood-Royal of the West-Saxons and his Right unquestioned The first experiments of his Reign he made against the Welch whom in several fights he often discomfited but in his twenty fourth year in a battel fought with Offa King of Mercia at Benfington or Benton he lost the day and the Town also for which they contended Afterwards governing ingloriously by the space of seven years he at last came to an unfortunate end which was thus occasioned In his latter daies growing loose and amorous and conscious of