6.7. Britricus K. of the Westsaxons, his in|clination, Egbert being of the bloud roiall is banished the land, & why; crosses of bloudie colour and drops of bloud fell from heauen, what they did prognosticate; the first Danes that arriued on the English coasts, and the cause of their comming: firie dra|gons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine and warre; Bri|tricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga, hir ill qualities; why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues should not be called queenes, the miserable end of Ethelburga; Ke|nulfe king of Mercia, his vertues, he restoreth the archbishops see to Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield, he inuadeth Kent, taketh the king prisoner in the field, and bountifullie setteth him at libertie, the great ioy of the people therevpon; his rare liberalitie to churchmen, his death and buriall. The seuenth Chapter.

Britricus K. of the Westsaxons, his in|clination, Egbert being of the bloud roiall is banished the land, & why; crosses of bloudie colour and drops of bloud fell from heauen, what they did prognosticate; the first Danes that arriued on the English coasts, and the cause of their comming: firie dra|gons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine and warre; Bri|tricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga, hir ill qualities; why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues should not be called queenes, the miserable end of Ethelburga; Ke|nulfe king of Mercia, his vertues, he restoreth the archbishops see to Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield, he inuadeth Kent, taketh the king prisoner in the field, and bountifullie setteth him at libertie, the great ioy of the people therevpon; his rare liberalitie to churchmen, his death and buriall. The seuenth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 _AFter Kenwulfe,Bri|tricus. Bri|tricus or Brightrike was or|deined king of Westsaxons, and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787,Hen. Hunt. Matt. West. saith 787. Simon Dun. saith 786. which was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with hir son Constan|tinus, and about the second yeere of the reigne of Achaius K. of Scots. This Brightrike was descen|ded of the line of Cerdicus the first king of West|saxons, 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 eue|rie 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 power and lustie courage. King Brightrike therefore to liue in more safetie,Egbert ba|nished. bani|shed him the land, and appointed him to go into France. Egbert vnderstanding certeinlie that this his departure into a forreine countrie should ad|uance him in time, obeied the kings pleasure.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 About the third yéere of Brightrikes reigne,A strange woonder. there fell vpon mens garments, as they walked a|broad, crosses of bloudie colour, and bloud fell from heauen as drops of raine. Some tooke this woonder for a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes:Matt. West. Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt. Danes. for shortlie after, in the yeere insu|ing, there arriued thrée Danish ships vpon the English coasts, against whome the lieutenant of the parties adioining made foorth, to apprehend those that were come on land, howbeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashlie amongst them, he was slaine: but after|wards 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 vnder|stand 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 follo|wed. First a great dearth and famine:Famin & war signified. and secondlie a cruell war of the Danes, which shortlie followed, as ye shall heare.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 EEBO page image 136 Finallie, after that Brightrike had reigned the space of 16 yéeres, he departed this life, and was bu|ried at Warham. Some write that he was poiso|ned by his wife Ethelburga daughter vnto Offa king of Mercia (as before ye haue heard) and he ma|ried hir in the fourth yere of his reigne. She is noted by writers to haue bin a verie euill woman, Ran. Cest. lib. 5. cap 25. Brightrike departed this life. proud, and high-minded as Lucifer, and therewith disdain|full. She bare hir the more statelie, by reason of hir fa|thers great fame and magnificence:Ethelburg [...] hir conditions and wicked nature. whome she ha|ted 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.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 It happened one day, as she meant to haue poiso|ned 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 in|deed 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 vehe|ment.A decrée of the kings of the Westsaxons against their wiues. 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 g [...]eat riches and treasure, & was well cherished 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 countrie|men,The end of Ethelburga. Simon Dun. that she was banished the house, and after died in great miserie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Egbert king of Mercia departing this life, af|ter he had reigned foure moneths, ordeined his coo|sine KenulfeWil. Malm. 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, wisedome, and vp|right 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 victorious, he re|stored the archbishops sée againe to Canturburie,The archbi|shops sée re|stored to Can|turburie. 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 ar|mie, wasted and spoiled the same, and encountering in battell with king Edbert or Ethelbert, otherwise called Prenne,The king of Kent taken prisoner. ouerthrew his armie, and tooke him prisoner in the field, but afterwards he released him to his great praise and commendation. For where|as 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 of his good nature.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 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 restored the Kentish king to liber|tie,Kentilfs libe|ralitie to|wards church men which was not for|gotten by them in their histories. 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 a|mongst the people, and founded in that place an ab|beie, indowing the same with great possessions. Fi|nallie, after he had reigned 4 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 vnnatu|rall sister Quendred, the 17 of Iulie, as hereafter shall be shewed.