6.2. Offa king of the Eastsaxons with other go to Rome, he is shauen and becommeth a moonke, succession in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons and Eastangles, Osred king of Nor|thumberland hath carnall knowledge with nuns, he is slaine in battell, Osrike renouncing his kingdome becom|meth a moonke, bishop Wilfrid twise restored to his see, West|saxonie diuided into two diocesses, bishop Aldhelme a founder of religious houses; Ethelard succeedeth Inas in regiment, two blasing starres seene at once, and what insued, the king di|eth: the successiue reigne of Wichtreds three sonnes ouer Kent, what prouinces were gouerned by bishops; of what puissance Ethelbald king of Mercia was, Egbert arch|bishop of Yorke aduanceth his see; a notable remembrance of that excellent man Beda, his death. The second Chapter.

Offa king of the Eastsaxons with other go to Rome, he is shauen and becommeth a moonke, succession in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons and Eastangles, Osred king of Nor|thumberland hath carnall knowledge with nuns, he is slaine in battell, Osrike renouncing his kingdome becom|meth a moonke, bishop Wilfrid twise restored to his see, West|saxonie diuided into two diocesses, bishop Aldhelme a founder of religious houses; Ethelard succeedeth Inas in regiment, two blasing starres seene at once, and what insued, the king di|eth: the successiue reigne of Wichtreds three sonnes ouer Kent, what prouinces were gouerned by bishops; of what puissance Ethelbald king of Mercia was, Egbert arch|bishop of Yorke aduanceth his see; a notable remembrance of that excellent man Beda, his death. The second Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 _IN this meane time Sighard and Seufred,Kings of the Eastsaxons. Beda lib. 5. cap. 20. Offa king of Eastsaxons. kings of the Eastsaxons, be|ing departed this-life, one Offa that was sonne to Sigerius succéeded in [...] [...]uern|ment EEBO page image 129 of that kingdome, a man of great toward|nesse, and of right comelie countenance: but after he had ruled a certeine time, being mooued with a rili|gious deuotion, he went to Rome in companie of Kenred king of Mercia, and of one Egwine bishop of Worcester, and being there shauen into the order of moonks, so continued till he died. After him one Selred the sonne of Sigbert the good,K [...]ng Sclred. ruled the East|saxons the tearme of 38 yéeres. After Alduife the king of Eastangles departed this fraile life, which chanced about the yéere of our Lord 688,688 his brother Elewold or Akwold succeeded him, and reigned a|bout twelue yéeres. After whose decease one Beorne was made king of Eastangles, and reigned about 26 yéeres. In this meane while, that is to say, in the yeere of our Lord 705,705 [...] of Northumber|land. Alfride king of Northumber|land being dead, his sonne Osred, a child of 8 yéeres of age succeeded him in the kingdome, and reigned 11 yéeres, spending his time when he came to ripe yeeres in filthie abusing his bodie with nuns, and o|ther religious women.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 About the seuenth yéere of his reigne,Henr. Hunt. that is to say, in the yéere of our Lord 711, one of his capteins named earle Berthfride fought with the Picts,Picts ouer|throwne by the Northum|bers. be|twixt two places called Heue and Cere, and obtei|ning the victorie, slue an huge number of the eni|mies. At length king Osred by the traitorous means of his coosens that arreared warre against him, was slaine in batell,King Osred slaine in battell and so ended his reigne, leauing to those that procured his death the like fortune in time to come. For Kenred reigning two yéeres, and Os|ricke ten yeeres, were famous onelie in this, that be|ing worthilie punished for shedding the bloud of their naturall prince and souereigne lord, they finished their liues with dishonourable deaths, as they had well deserued. Osricke before his death, which chan|ced in the yéere of our Lord 729,729 appointed Ceol|wolfe the brother of his predecessor Kenred, to suc|ceed him in the kingdome, which he did, reigning as king of the Northumbers by the space of 8 yéeres currant, and then renouncing his kingdom, became a moonke in the Ile of Lindesferne.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 In this meane while, bishop Wilfride being dead, Beda. Acca bishop of Hexham. one Acca that was his chapline was made bishop of Hexham. The said Wilfride had béene bishop by the space of 45 yéeres: but he liued a long time in exile. For first being archbishop of Yorke, and exercising his iurisdiction ouer all the north parts, he was after banished by king Egbert, and againe restored to the sée of Hexham in the second yeere of king Alfride, and within fiue yéeres after eftsoones banished by the same Alfride, and the second time restored by his suc|cessor king Osredzin the fourth yéere of whose reigne being the yéere after the incarnation of our Saui|our 709, he departed this life, and was buried at Rippon. Moreouer, after Iohn the archbishop of Yorke had resigned, one Wilfride surnamed the se|cond was made archbishop of that sée: which Wil|fride was chapline to the said Iohn, and gouerned that sée by the space of fiftéene yéeres, and then died. About the yéere of our Lord 710, that abbat Adrian which came into this land with Theodore the archbi|shop of Canturburie710 (as before ye haue heard) de|parted this life, about 39 yeeres after his comming thither.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Also Inas the king of Westsaxons,Two bishops sees. Matth. West. about the 20 yeere of his reigne, diuided the prouince of the West|saxons into two bishops sées, whereas before they had but one.Bishop D [...]|niell. Daniell was ordeined to gouerne the one of those sees, being placed at Winchester, hauing vnder him Sussex, Southerie and Hamshire. And Aldhelme was appointed to Shireburne,Bishop Ald|helme. hauing vn|der him, Barkeshire, Wiltshire, Sommersetshire, Dorsetshire, Deuonshire, and Cornwall. This Ald|helme was a learned man, and was first made ab|bat of Malmesburie, in the yéere of our Lord 675, by Eleutherius then bishop of the Westsaxons, by whose diligence that abbeie was greatlie aduanced,The abbeie of Ma [...]lmesburie being afore that time founded by one Medulfe a Sco|tish man, but of so small reuenues afore Aldhelms time, that the moonks were scarse able to liue there|on. Also the same Aldhelme was a great furtherer vnto king Inas in the building of Glastenburie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Ethelard,Ethelard. the coosen of king Inas, to whome the same Inas resigned his kingdome, began to go|uerne the Westsaxons in the yéere of our Lord 728,728 Matt. West. saith 727. or rather 27, which was in the 11 yéere of the emperor Leo Isaurus, in the second yeere of Theodorus king of France, and about the 8 or 9 yéere of Mordacke king of the Scots. In the first yéere of Ethelards reigne, he was disquieted with ciuill warre, which one Oswald a noble man, descended of the roiall bloud of the Westsaxon kings, procured against him: but in the end, when he perceiued that the kings power was too strong for him, he fled out of the countrie, lea|uing it thereby in rest.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 In the yéere 729, in the moneth of Ianuarie there appeered two comets or blasing starres,Matth. West. verie terri|ble to behold,729 Blasing stars the one rising in the morning before the rising of the sunne, and the other after the setting thereof: so that the one came before the breake of the day, and the other before the closing of the night, stretching foorth their flerie brands toward the north; and they appeered thus euerie morning and euening for the space of a fortnight togither, m [...]nacing as it were some great destruction or common mishap to follow. The Saxacens shortlie after entred France, and were ouerthrowne. Finallie, when king Ethe|lard had reigned the terme of fouretéene yeeres cur|rant, he departed this life.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 NOw when Wichtred king of Kent had gouer|ned the Kentishmen by the space of 33 yéeres,Wil. Malm. with great commendation for the good orders which he caused to be obserued amongst them, as well con|cerning matters ecclesiasticall as temporall, he de|parted this life, leauing behind him thrée sonnes, who successiuelie reigned as heires to him one after ano|ther (that is to say) Edbert 23 yéeres, Ethelbert 11 yeeres currant, and Alrike 34 yéeres, the which three princes following the steps of their father in the ob|seruance of politike orders & commendable lawes, vsed for the more part their fathers good lucke and for|tune, except that in Ethelberts time the citie of Can|turburie was burned by casuall fire,Beda. lib. 5. cap. [...]4. and Alrike lost a battell against them of Mercia, whereby the glorie of their times was somewhat blemished: for so it came to passe, that whatsoeuer chanced euill, was kept still in memorie, and the good haps that came forward, were soone forgotten and put out of re|membrance.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the yéere of our Lord 731, Betrwald archbi|shop of Canturburie departed this life in the fift ides of Ianuarie,731 after he had gouerned that see by the space of 27 yéeres, 6 moneths, and 14 daies: in [...]hose place the same yéere one Tacwine was ordeined archbishop, that before was a priest in the monaste|rie of Bruidon within the prouince of Mercia. He was consecrated in the citie of Canturburie, by the reuerend fathers Daniell bishop of Winchester, Ingwald bishop of London, Aldwin bishop of Lich|field, and Aldwulfe bishop of Rochester, the tenth day of Iune being sundaie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ¶As touching the state of the English church for ecclesiasticall gouernours,Bishops what prouin|ces they go|uerned. certeine it is, that the same was as hereafter followeth. The prouince of Canturburie was gouerned touching the ecclesi|asticall state by archbishop Tacwine, and bishop Aldwulfe. The prouince of the Eastsaxons by bishop EEBO page image 130 Ingwald. The prouince of Eastangles by bishop Eadbertus and Hadulacus, the one kéeping his see at Elsham, and the other at Dunwich. The prouince of the Westsaxons was gouerned by the foresaid Daniell and by Forthere, who succéeded next after Aldhelme in the sée of Shereburne. This Forthere in the yéere of our Lord 738,Matth. West. left his bishoprike, and went to Rome in companie of the quéene of the Westsaxons. Many as well kings as bishops, noble and vnnoble, priests and laiemen, togither with wo|men, vsed to make such iournies thither in those daies. The prouince of Mercia was ruled by the foresaid Aldwine bishop of Lichfield, and one bishop Walstod holding his sée at Herford gouerned those people that inhabited beyond the riuer of Sauerne toward the west. The prouince of Wiccies, that is, Worcester, one Wilfride gouerned. The South|saxons and the Ile of Wight were vnder the bi|shop of Winchester. In the prouince of the Nor|thumbers were foure bishops, that is to say, Wil|fride archbishop of Yorke, Edilwald bishop of Lin|differne, Acca bishop of Hexham, and Pecthelmus bi|shop of Whiterne, otherwise called Candida Casa, he was the first that gouerned that church after the same was made a bishops sée. And thus stood the state of the English church for ecclesiasticall gouernors in that season.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 And as for temporall gouernement,Ethelbald K. of Mercia, of what puisance he was. king Ce|olvulfe had the souereigne dominion ouer all the Northumbers: but all the prouinces on the southside of Humber, with their kings and rulers, were sub|iect vnto Edilbald or Ethelbald king of Mercia. The nation of the Picts were in league with the English men, and gladlie became partakers of the catholike faith and veritie of the vniuersall church. Those Scots which inhabited Britaine, contenting them|selues with their owne bounds, went not about to practise anie deceitfull traines nor fraudulent deui|ses against the Englishmen. The Britains other|wise called Welshmen, though for the more part of a peculiar hatred they did impugne the English na|tion, & the obseruance of the feast of Ester appointed by the whole catholike church, yet (both diuine and hu|mane force vtterlie resisting them) they were not a|ble in neither behalfe to atteine to their wished in|tentions, as they which though they were partlie free, yet in some point remained still as thrall and man|cipate to the subiection of the Englishmen: who (saith Beda) now in the acceptable time of peace and quiet|nesse, manie amongst them of Northumberland, lai|eng armour and weapon aside, applied themselues to the reading of holie scriptures, more desirous to be professed in religious houses, then to exercise feates of warre: but what will come therof (saith he) the age that followeth shall sée and behold. With these words dooth Beda and his historie, continued till the yéere of our Lord 731, which was from the comming of the Englishmen into this land, about 285 yéeres, accor|ding to his account.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 In the yéere following, that is to say 732,732 in place of Wilfrid the second, Egbert was ordeined bishop of Yorke. Ths Egbert was brother vnto an other Egbert,Wil. Malm. who as then was king of Northumber|land, by whose helpe he greatlie aduanced the see of Yorke, and recouered the pall: so that where all the o|ther bishops that held the same sée before him sith Paulins daies, wanted the pall, and so were coun|ted simplie but particular bishops: now was he inti|tuled by the name of archbishop. He also got togi|ther a great number of good books, which he bestowed in a librarie at Yorke. ¶In the yéere 733, on the 18 kalends of September,733 the sunne suffered a great eclipse about three of the clocke in the after noone, in somuch that the earth seemed to be couered with a blacke and horrible penthouse.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 In the yéere 735, tht reuerend and profound lear|ned man Beda departed this life,735 Beda depar|ted this [...] being 82 yéeres of age, vpon Ascension day, which was the 7 kalends of Iune, and 26 of Maie, as Matt. Westm. hath dili|gentlie obserued. W. Harison addeth hitherto, that it is to be read in an old epistle of Cutbert moonke of the same house vnto Cuthwine, that the said Beda lieng in his death-bed, translated the gospell of saint Iohn into English, and commanded his brethren to be diligent in reading and contemplation of good bookes, and not to exercise themselues with fables and friuolous matters. Finallie he was buried in the abbeie of Geruie, distant fiue miles from Wire|mouth, and abbeie also in the north parts, not far from Newcastell (as is before remembred.) He was brought vp in those two abbeies, and was scholer to Iohn of Beuerley. How throughlie he was séene in all kinds of good literature, the bookes which hée wrote doo manifestlie beare witnesse. His iudgement also was so much estéemed ouer all, that Sergius the bishop of Rome wrote vnto Celfride the abbat of Wiremouth, requiring him to send Beda vnto the court of Rome for the deciding of certein questions mooued there, which without his opinion might séeme to rest doubtfull. But whether he went thither or not we can not affirme: but as it is thought by men worthie of credit, he neuer went out of this land, but continued for the most part of his life in the abbeies of Geruie and Wiremouth, first vnder Benet the first abbat and founder of the same ab|beies, and after vnder the said Celfride, in whose time he receiued orders of priesthood at the hands of bishop Iohn, surnamed of Beuerley: so that it may be maruelled that a man borne in the vttermost cor|ner of the world, should proue so excellent in all knowledge and learning, that his fame should so spread ouer the whole earth, and went neuer out of his natiue contrie to séeke it. But who that mar|keth in reading old histories the state of abbeies and monasteries in those daies,Cra [...] shall well perceiue that they were ordered after the maner of our schooles or colleges, hauing in them diuerse learned men, that attended onelie to teach & bring vp youth in know|ledge of good learning, or else to go abroad and preach the word of God in townes and villages adioining.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The same yéere died archbishop Tacuine, and in the yéere following, that is to say 735,735 Nothelmus was ordeined archbishop of Canturburie in his place, and Egbert the archbishop of Yorke the same yéere got his pall from Rome, and so was confirmed archbishop, and ordeined two bishops, Fruidberd, and Fruidwald. But some refer it to the yéere 744.