The Holinshed Texts (1587, Volume 2, p. 116 with companion text)

5.31. Anna king of Eastangles is slaine by Penda king of Mercia, his brother succee|ding him is slaine also by Oswie king of Nor|thumberland, the Mercians or Middle angles re|ceiue the faith vnder vertuous Peda their prince, he requesteth Alchfled the king of Northumberlands daughter in mariage, he is baptised by bishop Finnan, by whose meanes the Eastsaxons imbraced christian religion vnder Sigibert their king, he is murthered of two brethren that were his kinsmen vpon a conceiued hatred against him for his good and christian life, how dan|gerous it is to keepe companie with an excommunicate person, the authoritie of a bishop. The xxxj. Chapter.

Anna king of Eastangles is slaine by Penda king of Mercia, his brother succee|ding him is slaine also by Oswie king of Nor|thumberland, the Mercians or Middle angles re|ceiue the faith vnder vertuous Peda their prince, he requesteth Alchfled the king of Northumberlands daughter in mariage, he is baptised by bishop Finnan, by whose meanes the Eastsaxons imbraced christian religion vnder Sigibert their king, he is murthered of two brethren that were his kinsmen vpon a conceiued hatred against him for his good and christian life, how dan|gerous it is to keepe companie with an excommunicate person, the authoritie of a bishop. The xxxj. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _AFter Egricus succeeded Anna the sonne of Enus in the kingdome of Eastangle,Anna. Will. Malmes. and was likewise slaine by Penda king of Mercia, with the most part of his armie, as he gaue battell vnto the said Penda that inuaded his countrie. He left behind him manie children, but his brother Edelhere succéeded him in gouernment of the kingdome,Edelhere K. of Eastangle. who was slaine by Oswie the king of Northumberland, togither with the foresaid Penda, and woorthilie, sith he would aid that tyrant which had slaine his kinsman and his brother that were predecessors with him in his kingdome. After this, when the sée of Canturburie had béene vacant by the space of one whole yeere and six moneths,Deus dedit. one Deus dedit of the countrie of the Westsaxons, was elec|ted and consecrated by Ithamar the bishop of Ro|chester, on the 7 kalends of Aprill. He gouerned the church of Canturburie by the tearme of nine yéeres, foure moneths, and two daies. When he was depar|ted this life, the foresaid Ithamar consecrated for him one Damianus of the countrie of Sussex.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ABout this time,Beda histae [...] lib. 3. cap. 21. 653. the people of Mercia common|lie called Middleangles, receiued the christian faith vnder their king named Peda or Peada, the sonne of Penda king of Mercia, who being a to|wardlie yoong gentleman, and woorthie to haue the guiding of a kingdome, his father Penda aduanced him to the rule of that kingdome of the Middlean|gles during his owne life.Peda or Pea|da king of Middlean|gles. [¶Héere maie you note, that the kingdome of the Middleangles was one, and the kingdome of Mercia another, though most commonlie the same were gouerned by one king.] This yoong Peda came to Oswie king of Northum|berland, requiring of him to haue his daughter Alch|fled in mariage: but when he was informed that he might not haue hir except he would become a christi|an, then vpon hearing the gospell preached, with the promise of the celestiall ioies and immortalitie, by the resurrection of the flesh in the life to come, he said that whether he had king Oswies daughter to wife or not, he would suerlie be baptised, and chieflie he was persuaded therevnto by his kinsman Alchfrid, who had in mariage his sister the daughter of Pen|da named Cimburgh.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Wherefore he was baptised by bishop Finnan, with all those which came thither with him, at a place called At the wall, Ad [...] and taking with him foure priests which were thought méete to teach and baptise his people, he returned with great ioy into his owne countrie. The names of those priests were as follow|eth, Cedda, Adda, Betti, and Diuna, of the which, the last was a Scot by nation, and the other were En|glishmen. EEBO page image 117 These priests comming into the prouince of the Middleangles, preached the woord, and were well heard, so that dailie a great number of the no|bilitie & communaltie renouncing the filthie dregs of idolatrie, were christned. Neither did king Penda forbid the preaching of the gospell within his pro|uince of Mercia, but rather hated and despised those whome he knew to haue professed themselues christi|ans, and yet shewed not the woorks of faith,The saieng of king Penda. saieng, that Those were wretches and not to be regarded, which would not obeie their God in whome they be|léeued. This alteration of things began, about two yéeres before the death of king Penda.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ABout the same time,Beda. lib. 3. cap. 22. the Eastsaxons at the in|stance of Oswie king of Northumberland, re|ceiued eftsoones the faith which they had renounced, when they banished their bishop Melitus. Ye haue heard that Serred, Siward, and Sigibert brethren, and the sonnes of king Sabert (which brethren occa|sioned the reuolting of that prouince from the faith of Christ) were slaine in battell by the kings of West|saxon, after whome succéeded Sigibert surnamed the little sonne to the middlemost brother Siward, as some write. This Sigibert the litle left the kingdome to an other Sigibert that was sonne to one Sige|bald the brother of king Sabert, which second Sigi|bert reigned as king in that prouince of the East|saxons, being a most especiall friend of king Oswie, so that oftentimes he repaired into Northumberland to visit him, whervpon king Oswie ceassed not most earnestlie at times conuenient to exhort him to re|ceiue the faith of Iesus Christ, and in the end by such effectuall persuasions as he vsed, Sigibert gaue cre|dit to his woords, and so being conuerted, receiued the sacrament of baptisme by the hands of bishop Finnan,King Sigi|bert receiued the faith. at the kings house called, At the wall, so named, bicause it was built néere to the wall which the Romans had made ouerthwart the Ile, as is of|ten before remembred, being twelue miles distant from the east sea.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 King Sigibert hauing now receiued the christian faith,This was a|bout the yéere 649, as Matth. West. hath no|ted. when he should returne into his countrie, re|quired king Oswie to appoint him certeine instruc|tors and teachers which might conuert his people to the faith of Christ. King Oswie desirous to satisfie his request, sent vnto the prouince of the Middleangles, calling from thence that vertuous man Cedda, and assigning vnto him another priest to be his associat,Cedda. sent them vnto the prouince of the Eastsaxons, there to preach the christian faith vnto the people. And when they had preached & taught through the whole countrie, to the great increase and inlarging of the church of Christ, it chanced on a time that Cedda re|turned home into Northumberland to conferre of certeine things with bishop Finnan which kept his sée at Lindesherne, where vnderstanding by Cedda the great fruits which it had pleased God to prosper vnder his hands, in aduancing the faith among the Eastsaxons, he called to him two other bishops, and there ordeined the foresaid Cedda bishop of the East saxons.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Héerevpon, the same Cedda returned vnto his cure,Ced or Cedda bishop of the Eastsaxons. went forward with more authoritie to per|forme the woorke of the Lord, & building churches in diuerse places, ordeined priests and deacons which might helpe him in preaching, and in the ministerie of baptising, speciallie in the citie of Ithancester vp|on the riuer of Pent,Tilberie. and likewise in Tileburge on the riuer of Thames. Whilest Ced was thus bufle to the great comfort and ioy of the king and all his people, in the setting forward of the christian religion with great increase dailie procéeding, it chanced tho|rough the instigation of the deuill, the common eni|mie of mankind, that king Sigibert was murthe|red by two of his owne kinsmen who were bre|thren, the which when they were examined of the cause that should mooue them to that wicked fact, they had nothing to alledge, but that they did it bi|cause they had conceiued an hatred against the king, for that he was too fauourable towards his enimies, and would with great mildnesse of mind forgiue in|iuries committed against him: such was the kings fault for the which he was murthered, bicause he ob|serued the commandements of the gospell with a de|uout hart.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Notwithstanding, in this his innocent death, his offense was punished, wherein he had suerlie trans|gressed the lawes of the church. For whereas one of them which slue him kept a wife, whome he had vn|lawfullie maried, and refused to put hir away at the bishops admonition, he was by the bishop excom|municated, and all other of the christian congrega|tion commanded to absteine from his companie. This notwithstanding, the king being destred of him came to his house to a banket, and in his comming from thence met with the bishop, whome when the king beheld, he waxed afraid, and alighted from his horsse, and fell downe at his féet, beséeching him of pardon for his offense. The bishop, which also was on horssebacke likewise alighted, and touching the king with his rod which he had in his hand, as one some|thing displeased, and protesting as in the authoritie of a bishop,The authori|tie of a bishop. spake these words; Bicause (saith he) thou wouldst not absteine from entring the house of that wicked person being accurssed, thou shalt die in the same house: and so it came to passe.

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5.77. Cenwalch King of VVeſt Saxons.

Cenwalch King of VVeſt Saxons.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Cen|walch. H. Hunton. [figure appears here on page 171] IN the meane time, after y^e Kinigils or Ci+nigilſus Kyng of the Weſt Saxons hadde raigned one & thirtie yeares, he departed this life anno .643.943 leauyng hys Kingdome to his ſon Cenwalch or Chenwald, who helde the ſame Kingdome the tearme of .30. yeares, or . [...]1. (as ſome write) in manner as his fa|ther had done before him.R [...]. Higden. In the thirde, or as o|thers haue in the fifth yere of his raigne, Penda K. of Mercia made ſharp warre againſt him, by|cauſe he had put away his wife y^e ſiſter of y^e ſame Penda, and in this warre Cenwalde was ouer|come in battell, and driuen out of his countrey, ſo that hee fledde vnto Anna King of the Eaſt Angles, with whome hee remayned the ſpace of a yeare, or as other haue three yeares, to his great good happe: for before he was growen to be an e|nimie to the Chriſtian Religion, but now by the wholeſome admonitions and ſharpe rebukes of King Anna, he became a Chriſtian, and receiued his wife againe into his company, according to the preſcript of Gods lawe, and to be briefe, in all things ſhewed himſelfe to be a new man, embra|cing vertue, and auoyding vice, ſo that ſhortly af [...]er through the help of God, he recouered again his Kingdome. After that he was returned in|to his Kingdome, & had recouered the ſame, there cauſe a Biſhop named (Agilbertus out of Are [...]ãd,Agilbertus a Biſhop. a [...] bor [...]e, but hauing remayned in Ire|land along time to reade the Scriptures. Thys Agilbert [...] into the prouince of the Weſt Saxõs, was gladly [...]e [...]eyued of King [...]nwald, at whoſe deſi [...] he tooke vppon him to exerciſe the [...] of a Biſhop there, but afterwardes, when the ſayd King admitted an other Biſhop named Wins, which had [...] in Fraunce, and knewe the tong better than Agilbert, as hee that was borne in Englande: Agilbert [...] offended for that the King had admitted [...] without ma|king him of any counſell therein, returned into Fraunce, and there was made Biſhop of Paris: within a few yeares after, the foreſaid Win [...] was expulſed alſo by King Cenwald, who gote hym into Mercia vnto King V [...]lfhere, of whome hee bought the Biſhopricke of London, which he held during his life, and ſo the countrey of Weſt Sax|on remayned long withoute a Biſhoppe, till at length the ſaide Agilberte [...] the requeſt of Kyng Cenwald ſent to him Eleutherius that was his Nephew.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Sigibert [figure appears here on page 171] YEe haue hearde that after Carpe|wald, his bro|ther Sigilberte ſucceeded in rule of y^e Eaſt Angles, a mã of greate ver|tue and wor|thineſſe, who whileſt hee remayned in Fraunce as a baniſhed man, being conſtreyned to flee his countrey vp|pon diſpleaſure that King Redwalde, bare hym, was baptiſed there, and after returning into hys countrey, and obteining at length the Kingdom,Beda. lib. 3. cap. 4. thoſe things whiche hee had ſeene well ordred in Fraunce, he ſtudyed to followe the example of the ſame at home, and heere vppon conſidering with himſelfe that nothing coulde more aduaunce the ſtate of the common wealth of his countrey than learning and knowledge in the tongs, beganne the foundation of certayne Scholes, and namely at Cambridge,The Vniuer|ſitie of Cam|bridge foun|ded by King Sigibert. where children mighte haue pla|ces where to be inſtructed and brought vp in lear|ning vnder appoynted teachers, that there might bee greater numbers of learned men trayned vp than before time had bin within this land, to the furtherance of true Religion and vertue.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 And thus hathe Englande good cauſe to haue in thankfull remembrance this noble Prince K. Sigibert, for all thoſe hir learned menne whyche EEBO page image 172 haue bin broughte vp and come foorth of that fa|mous vniuerſitie of Cambridge, the firſt founda|tion, or rather renouation whereof was thus be|gunne by hym about the yeare of our Lord .630. At length,Bals hath .636. when this worthy Kyng beganne to growe in age, hee conſidered with himſelfe howe hard a matter, and how painefull an office it was to gouerne a Realme as apperteyned to the due|tie of a good Kyng, wherevppon he determined to leaue the charge thereof to other of more conue|niente yeares, and lyue from thencefoorth a pri|uate kinde of lyfe,Sigibert re|ſigneth his Kingdome to Egricus. and ſo reſigning the admini|ſtration vnto hys kinſman Egricus, hee became a Monke, and ledde the reſt of his life in a cer|taine Abbey. But ſhortly after it ſo came to paſſe that Penda Kyng of Mercia that cruell Eth|nike Tyrante made ſore warres vppon Egricus, wherevppon the people of Eaſt angles compelled Sigebertus to come foorthe of his Monaſterie, and to goe with them into the fielde agaynſte Penda. Sigebertus beeyng thus conſtreyned a|gainſt his wil, would not put on armour or beare any other kinde of weapon, than onely a wande in his hande in ſteade of a Scepter, and ſo the ar|my of the Eaſtangles in hope of good ſpeede by the preſence of Sigiberte, ioyned in battell with their enimies, but the Eaſt angles were finally vanquiſhed, and the more part of them ſlaine,Sigibert [...] Egricus [...] to|gither with Sigiberte, and his couſin Egricus theyr King.

[figure appears here on page 172]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The yeare in the which Sigiberte and Egri|cus were ſlayne in manner as is aboue rehearſed, was after the birth of our Sauioure as ſome haue 652. 652 Baleu [...]. Beda. lib. 3. cap. 19. Furſeus. In the dayes whileſt Sigibert as yet ruled the Eaſt angles, there came out of Irelande a de|uoute perſon named Furſeus, who comming in|to the countrey of the Eaſt angles, was gladly receyued of Kyng Sigiberte, by whoſe help af|terwardes hee buylded the Abbey of Cumbreſ|burge, in the which Sigibert (as ſome haue writ|ten) when he renounced his Kingdome, was pro|feſſed a Monke. Of this Furſeus, many thyngs are writtẽ, the which for breefeneſſe we ouerpaſſe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After that Felix the Biſhop of the Eaſt an|gles was dead, one Thomas was ordeyned in his place, who after he had bin Biſhop fiue yeres, dyed, and then one Beretgils was ordeyned in his roomth by Honorius the Archbiſhop of Can|terburie. The ſayd Honorius hymſelfe when hee had runne the race of his naturall life, deceaſſed alſo in the yeare of our Lord .653. the laſt of Sep|tember.653

Compare 1587 edition: 1 AFter Egricus ſucceeded Anna the ſonne of Enus in the Kingdome of Eaſt Angle,Anne. and was likewiſe ſlayne by Penda King of Mercia,VVil. [...]. with the moſt parte of his army, as he gaue bat|tell vnto the ſayde Penda that inuaded his coun|trey. He lefte behynde him many children,Edelhere king of Eaſt angle. but his brother Edelhere ſucceeded hym in gouerne|mente of the Kingdome, who was ſlaine by Oſ|wy the King of Northumberlande, togyther with the foreſayd Penda, and woorthely, ſith that hee woulde ayde that Tyrante whyche hadde ſlayne hys kinſman, and hys brother that were predeceſſors with him in his Kingdome.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After this, when the Sea of Canterbury had bene vacant by the ſpace of one whole yeare and ſixe Monethes,Deus Dedit. one Deus Dedit of the countrey of the Weſt Saxons, was elected and conſecra|ted by Ithamar the Byſhop of Rocheſter the .7. Calends of April. He gouerned the Church of Canterbury by the tearme of nine yeres, four mo|neths, and two days. When he was departed this life, the foreſayd Ithamar cõſecrated for him one Damianus of the countrey of Suſſex.

5.77.1. Mercia receyueth the fayth.

EEBO page image 173

Mercia receyueth the fayth.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 [...]. hiſt. eccle. 3. cap. 21. [figure appears here on page 173] ABout this time, the people of Mercia cõ|monly called midle An|gles, receyued the Chri|ſtian faythe vnder theyr Kyng named Peda,653 or Peada the ſonne of Pen|da King of Mercia, the which being a towardly yong Gentleman, and worthy to haue the guy|ding of a kingdome,Peda or Peada [...] of the [...]ddle angles his father Penda aduaunced him to the rule of that Kingdome of the middle angles during his own life. Heere may you note, y^t the Kingdome of the midle angles was one, & the Kingdome of Mercia another, though moſt commonly the ſame were gouerned by one king. This yong Peda came to the king of Northum|berlande Oſwy, to require of him to haue hys daughter Alchfled in marriage: but when he was enformed that he mighte not haue hir except hee would become a Chriſtian, then vppon hearyng the Goſpell preached, with the promiſe of the ce|leſtiall ioyes and immortalitie, by the reſurrectiõ of the fleſhe in the life to come, he ſayde, that whe|ther hee had King Oſwyes daughter to wife or not, he woulde ſurely be baptiſed, and chiefly hee was perſwaded thereto by his kinſman Alchfride which had in marriage his ſiſter the daughter of Penda named Cimburgh. He was therfore bap|tiſed by Biſhop Fynnan, with all thoſe whyche [figure appears here on page 173] came thither with him,Ad murum. at a place called at y^e wal. And taking with him foure prieſtes whiche were thought meete to teache and baptiſe his people, he returned with great ioy into his owne countrey. The names of thoſe Prieſtes were as followeth, Cedda, Adda, Betti, and Diuna, of the whyche, the laſt was a Scotte by nation, and the other were Engliſhmen. Theſe Prieſtes commyng into the prouince of the middle angles, preached the worde, and were well hearde, ſo that dayly a greate number, both of the nobilitie and commu|naltie renouncing the filthy dregges of Idolatrie, were chriſtned. Neyther dyd King Penda for|bidde the preaching of the Goſpell within his pro|uince of Mercia, but rather he hated and deſpiſed thoſe whome hee knewe to haue profeſſed them|ſelues Chriſtians,The ſaying of K. Penda. and, yet ſhewed not y^e workes of faythe, ſaying, that thoſe were wretches, and not to be regarded, which woulde not obey theyr God in whome they beleeued. This alteration of things began, about two yeares before the deathe of King Penda.

5.77.2. The Eaſt Saxons eftſoones receyue the faith.

The Eaſt Saxons eftſoones receyue the faith.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 [figure appears here on page 173] ABout the ſame tyme,Beda. lib. 3. cap. 22. the Eaſt Sax|ons at the in|ſtãce of Oſwy King of Nor|thumberlande, receyued efte|ſoones the faith which they had renoũced, whẽ they [...] their Biſhop Melitus. Ye haue hearde tha [...] Se [...]|red, Siward and Sigibert brethrẽ, and y^e ſonnes of King Sabert (which brethren occaſioned the reuolting of that prouince from y^e faith of Chriſt) were ſlayne in battel by the kings of Weſt Sax|on, after whome ſucceeded Sigibert ſurnamed y^e little ſonne to the middlemoſt brother Siwarde as ſome write. This Sigibert the little lefte the Kingdome to an other Sigibert that was ſonne to one Sigebald y^e brother of king Sabert, which EEBO page image 174 ſecond Sigibert raigned as king in that prouince of the Eaſt Saxons, being a moſt eſpeciall friend of King Oſwy, ſo that oftentimes he repared in|to Northumberlande to viſit him, wherevppon king Oſwy ceaſſed not moſt earneſtly at tymes conuenient to exhort him to receyue the faythe of Ieſus Chriſt, and in the ende by ſuche effectuall perſwaſions as he vſed, Sigibert gaue credite to his words,King Sigibert receyued the fayth. and ſo beeing conuerted, receyued the Sacrament of Baptiſme by the hands of Biſhop Finan, at the Kings houſe called, At the wall, ſo named, bycauſe it was built neere to the wall which the Romaynes had made ouerthwarte the Iſle, as is often before remembred, being a twelue miles diſtant from the Eaſt Sea.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This was a|bout the yeare 649. as Math. Weſt. hath noted.King Sigibert hauing now receiued the Chri|ſtian faith, when he ſhould returne into his coun|trey, required king Oſwy to appoynte hym cer|tayne inſtructors and teachers which might con|uert his people to the faith of Chriſt. King Oſ|wy deſirous to ſatiſfie his requeſt, ſente vnto the prouince of the middle angles, calling from thẽce that vertuous man Cedda,Cedda. and aſſigning vnto him another Prieſt to be his aſſociate, ſente them vnto the prouince of the Eaſt Saxons, there to preache the Chriſtian faithe vnto the peo|ple. And when they had preached and taughte through the whole countrey to the great increaſe and enlarging of the Church of Chriſt, it chaun|ced on a time that Cedda returned home into Northumberlande to conferre of certaine things with Biſhop Fynan which kept his See at Lin|deſferne, where vnderſtãding by Cedda the great fruite whiche it had pleaſed God to proſper vnder his handes in aduancing the fayth amongſt the Eaſt Saxons, hee called to him two other By|ſhops, and there ordeyned the foreſayde Ced Bi|ſhop of the Eaſt Saxons.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Ced or Cedda Biſhop of the Eaſt angles.Herevppon, the ſame Ced returning vnto hys cure, wente forewarde with more authoritie to performe the worke of the Lord, buildyng Chur|ches in diuers places, ordeyned Prieſts and Dea|cons whiche mighte helpe him in preaching, and in the miniſterie of Baptiſing, ſpecially in the Citie of Ithanceſter vpon the riuer of Pente, and likewiſe in Tileburg on the riuer of Thames.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Tilbery.Whileſt Ced was thus buſie to the great com|fort and ioy of the Kyng and all hys people in the ſetting forwarde the Chriſtian Religion with great increaſe dayly proceedyng, it chaunced tho|rough the inſtigation of the enimie of mankynde the Deuill, that King Sigibert was murthered by two of his owne kinſmen which were brethrẽ, the which when they were examined of the cauſe that ſhoulde moue them to that wicked fact, they had nothing to alledge, but that they did it by|cauſe they had conceyued an hatred againſte the King, for that he was too fauorable towards his enimies, and would with great mildnes of mind forgiue iniuries committed againſte him: ſuche was the kings faulte, for the which he was mur|thered, bycauſe he obſerued the commaundemẽts of the Goſpell with a deuoute hart: in the whyche his innocent death yet, his offence was puniſhed, wherein hee had ſurely tranſgreſſed the lawes of the Churche. For where as one of them whyche ſlewe him kept a wife whiche he had vnlawfully married, and refuſed to put hir away at the Bi|ſhops admonition, he was by the Biſhop excom|municated, and all other of the Chriſtian con|gregation commaunded to abſteyne from hys company. This notwithſtanding, the Kyng being deſired of him, came to his houſe to a ban|quet, and in his comming from thence met with the Biſhop, whome when the King behelde, hee waxed afrayde, and alight beſide his Horſe, and fell downe at his feete, beſeeching him of pardon for his offence. The Biſhop which alſo was on Horſebacke likewiſe alight, and touching the K. with his rodde which he had in his hande, as one ſomething diſpleaſed, and proteſting as in the authoritie of a Biſhop, ſpake theſe words,The authori|tie of a [...] bicauſe (ſaith he) thou wouldeſt not abſteyne from en|tring the houſe of that wicked perſon beeing ac|curſed, thou ſhalte die in the ſame houſe, and ſo it came to paſſe.