5.27. The crueltie of Penda and Cadwallo after their victorie, the Britains make no account of religion, Archbishop Pauline with queen Ethelburga flie out of Northumberland in|to Kent, honorable personages accompanie him thi|ther, Romanus bishop of Rochester drowned, Pauline vnderta|keth the charge of that see; Osrike is king of Deira, and Eau|fride king of Bernicia, both kings become apostatas, and fall frõ christianitie to paganisme, they are both slaine within lesse than a yeeres space; Oswald is created king of Northumber|land, his chiefe practise in feats of armes, Cadwallo king of Britaine hath him in contempt, Oswalds superstitious de|uotion and intercession to God against his enimies; both kings ioine battell; Cadwallo is slaine, Penda king of Mercia his notable vertues linked with foule vices, he maketh warre on whom he will with|out exception. The xxvij. Chapter.

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The crueltie of Penda and Cadwallo after their victorie, the Britains make no account of religion, Archbishop Pauline with queen Ethelburga flie out of Northumberland in|to Kent, honorable personages accompanie him thi|ther, Romanus bishop of Rochester drowned, Pauline vnderta|keth the charge of that see; Osrike is king of Deira, and Eau|fride king of Bernicia, both kings become apostatas, and fall frõ christianitie to paganisme, they are both slaine within lesse than a yeeres space; Oswald is created king of Northumber|land, his chiefe practise in feats of armes, Cadwallo king of Britaine hath him in contempt, Oswalds superstitious de|uotion and intercession to God against his enimies; both kings ioine battell; Cadwallo is slaine, Penda king of Mercia his notable vertues linked with foule vices, he maketh warre on whom he will with|out exception. The xxvij. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _CAdwallo and Penda ha|uing obteined the victorie a|forsaid, vsed it most cruellie. For one of the capteins was a pagan, and the other wan|ting all ciuilitie, shewed him|selfe more cruell than anie pagan could haue doone. So that Penda being a worshipper of false gods with his people of Mercia,The crueltie of Penda and Cadwallo. and Cadwallo hauing no re|spect to the christian religion which latelie was be|gun amongst the Northumbers, made hauocke in all places where they came, not sparing man, wo|man nor child: and so continued in their furious out|rage a long time in passing through the countrie, to the great decay and calamitie of the christian congre|gations in those parties. And still the christian Bri|tains were lesse mercifull than Penda his heathe|nish souldiers. For euen vnto the daies of Beda (as he affirmeth) the Britains made no account of the faith or religion of the Englishmen, nor would communicate with them more than with the pa|gans, bicause they differed in rites from their accu|stomed traditions.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 When the countrie of the Northumbers was brought into this miserable case by the enimies in|uasion,The archbi|shop Pauline flieth into Kent. the archbishop Pauline taking with him the quéene Ethelburga, whom he had brought thither, returned now againe with hir by water into Kent, where he was honorablie receiued of the archbishop Honorius, and king Eadbald. He came thither in the conduct of one Bassus a valiant man of warre, ha|uing with him Eaufred the daughter, and Uulfrea the sonne of Edwin, & also Iffi the sonne of Osfride Edwins sonne, whom their mother after for feare of the kings Edbold and Oswold did sent into France where they died. The church of Rochester at that time was destitute of a bishop, by the death of Romanus, who being sent to Rome vnto pope Honorius, was drowned by the way in the Italian seas. Wherevpon at the request of archbishop Honorius, and king Eadbald, Pauline tooke vpon him the charge of that sée, and held it till he died.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 AFter it was knowne that Edwin was slaine in battell (as before ye haue heard) Osrike the sonne of his vncle Elfrike tooke vpon him the rule of the kingdome of Deira,Beda lib. 3. ca. 1. which had receiued the sa|crament of baptisme by the preaching and vertuous instruction of Pauline. But the other kingdome of Northumberland called Bernicia,Osrike king of Deira. Eaufride the son of Edelfred or Edelfride,Eaufrid king of Bernicia. tooke vpon him to gouerne. This Eaufride during the time of Edwins reigne, had continued in Scotland, and there being conuer|ted to the christian faith was baptised. But doth these princes, after they had obteined possession of their earthlie kingdoms, did forget the care of the heauen|lie kingdome, so that they returned to their old kind of idolatrie. But almightie God did not long suf|fer this their vnthankefulnesse without iust punish|ment: for first in the next summer,The two kings of Nor|thumberland slaine. when Osrike had rashlie besieged Cadwallo king of the Britains, within a certeine towne, Cadwallo brake foorth vp|on him, and finding him vnprouided to make resi|stance, slue him with all his armie. Now after this, whilest Cadwallo not like a conqueror gouerned the prouinces of the Northumbers, but like a tyrant wa|sted and destroied them, in sleaing the people in tra|gicall maner, he also slue Eaufride, the which with twelue men of warre came vndiscréetlie vnto him to sue for peace: and thus within lesse than twelue moneths space both these runagate kings were dis|patched.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 THen Oswald the sonne of Edelfred, and bro|ther to the foresaid Eaufride was created king of the Northumbers, the sixt in number from Ida. This Oswald after that his father was slaine, Oswald began his reigne in the yeare 635. Beda. lib. 3. cap. 3. liued as a banished person a long time within Scotland, where he was baptised, and professed the christian re|ligion, and passed the flower of his youth in good ex|ercises, both of mind & bodie. Amongst other things he practised the vnderstanding of warlike know|ledge, minding so to vse it as it might stand him in stead to defend himselfe from iniurie of the enimies that should prouoke him, and not otherwise. Here|vpõ Cadwallo king of the Britains made in maner no account of him: for by reason that he had atchi|ued such great victories against the Englishmen, and hauing slaine their two kings (as before is ex|pressed) he ceassed not to proceed in his tyrannicall dooings, reputing the English people for slouthfull, and not apt to the warre, boasting that he was borne to their destruction. Thus being set vp in pride of cou|rage, he feared no perils, but boldlie (without conside|ring at all the skilfull knowledge which Oswald had sufficientlie learned in feates of war) tooke vpon him to assaile the foresaid Oswald, that had brought an armie against him, and was encamped in a plaine field néere vnto the wall which the Romans had buil|ded in times past against the inuasion of Scots and Picts.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Cadwallo streight prouoked Oswald to trie the matter by battell, but Oswald forbare the first day, and caused a crosse to be erected in the same place where he was incamped, in full hope that it should be an ensigne or trophie of his victorie, causing all soul|diers to make their praiers to God, that in time of such necessitie it might please him to succour them that worship him. It is said, that the crosse being made, and the hole digged wherein it should be set, he tooke the crosse in his owne hands, and putting the foot thereof into that hole, so held it till his souldiers had filled the hole, and rammed it vp: and then cau|sed all the souldiers to knéele downe vpon their knées, and to make intercession to the true and li|uing God for his assistance against the proud eni|mie, with whom they should fight in a iust quarell for the preseruation of their people and countrie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 After this, on the next morning he boldlie gaue battell to his enimies, so that a sore and cruell fight insued betwixt them. At length Oswald perceiued that the Britains began somwhat to faint, and ther|fore caused his people to renew their force, and more lustilie to preasse forward, so that first [...]e put that most cruell enimie to flight, and after pursuing the chase ouertooke him, and slue him with the most part of all his huge and mightie armie,Beda. Wil. Malm. at a place called Denisborne, but the place where he caused the crosse to be erected he named Heuenfield. Thus Cad|wallo EEBO page image 112 the most cruell enimie of the English name ended his life: he was terrible both in nature and countenance, for the which cause they say the Bri|tains did afterwards set vp his image, that the same might be a terror to the enimies when they should be|hold it.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶But here is to be remembred by the British hi|storie of Gal. Mon. it should appeare that Cadwallo was not slaine at all, but reigned victoriouslie for the space of 48 yéeres, and then departed this life, as in place afterwards it shall appéere. But for that the contrarietie in writers in such points may sooner be perceiued than reformed, to the satisfieng of mens fansies which are variable, we will leaue euerie man to his libertie to thinke as séemeth him good, noting now and then the diuersitie of such writers, as occa|sion serueth.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 PEnda the sonne of Wilba succéeded in the go|uernement of the kingdome of Mercia after Ci|arlus,Penda. 636 and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 636. He was fiftie yéeres of age before he came to be king, and reigned 30 yeres, he was a prince right hardie and aduenturous, not fearing to ieopard his person in place of danger, assured and readie of re|membrance in time of greatest perill. His bodie could not be ouercome with anie trauell, nor his mind vanquished with greatnesse of businesse. But these his vertues were matched with notable vices, as first with such bitternesse of maners as had not béene heard of, crueltie of nature, lacke of courtesie, great vnsted fastnesse in performing of woord and promise, and of vnmeasurable hatred toward the christian religion.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Now vpon confidence in these his great ver|tues and vices from that time he was made king (as though the whole Ile had bene due to him) he thought not good to let anie occasion passe that was offered to make war, as wel against his friends & confederats, as also against his owne sworne enimies. Part of his dooings ye haue heard, and more shall appeare hereafter. ¶Of the kings of the Eastsaxons & East|angles ye haue heard before: of whom in places con|uenient ye shall find further mention also, and so likewise of the kings of the Southsaxons: but bi|cause their kingdom continued not past fiue successi|ons, litle remembrance of them is made by writers.