6.9. Egbert reigneth ouer the Westsaxons, his practise or exercise in the time of his exile, his martiall exploits against the Cornish|men and Welshmen, Bernulfe king of Mercia ta|keth indignation at Egbert for the inlarging of his roiall authoritie, they fight a sore battell, Egbert ouercom|meth, great ods betweene their souldiers, bishop Alstan a war|riour; Kent, Essex, Southerie, Sussex, and Eastangles subiect to Egbert; he killeth Bernulfe K. of Mercia, and conquereth the whole kingdome, Whitlafe the king thereof becommeth his tributarie, the Northumbers submit themselues to Egbert, he conquereth Northwales and the citie of Chester, he is crow|ned supreme gouernour of the whole land, when this Ile was called England, the Danes inuade the land, they discomfit Egberts host, the Welshmen ioine with the Danes against Egbert, they are both vanquished, Egbert dieth. The ninth Chapter.

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Egbert reigneth ouer the Westsaxons, his practise or exercise in the time of his exile, his martiall exploits against the Cornish|men and Welshmen, Bernulfe king of Mercia ta|keth indignation at Egbert for the inlarging of his roiall authoritie, they fight a sore battell, Egbert ouercom|meth, great ods betweene their souldiers, bishop Alstan a war|riour; Kent, Essex, Southerie, Sussex, and Eastangles subiect to Egbert; he killeth Bernulfe K. of Mercia, and conquereth the whole kingdome, Whitlafe the king thereof becommeth his tributarie, the Northumbers submit themselues to Egbert, he conquereth Northwales and the citie of Chester, he is crow|ned supreme gouernour of the whole land, when this Ile was called England, the Danes inuade the land, they discomfit Egberts host, the Welshmen ioine with the Danes against Egbert, they are both vanquished, Egbert dieth. The ninth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _THis Egbert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 800, which was the 4 yeare almost ended,Egbert. 802 as Simon Dunel. and M. W. hath noted but 801. after that the emperour Eirine began the second time to rule the expire, and in the 24 yeare of the reigne of Charles the great king of. France, which also was in the same yeare after he was made emperour of the west, and about the second yeare of Conwall king of Scots. Whilest this Egbert remained in exile, he turned his aduersaries into an occasion of his valiancie, as it had béene a grindstone to grind awaie and remoue the r [...]st of sluggish slouthfulnes, in so much that hawnting the wars in France, in seruice of Charles the great, he atteined to great knowledge and experience, both in matters apper|teining to the wars, and likwise to the well orde|ring of the common wealth in time of peace. The first wars that he tooke in hand, after he had attei|ned to the kingdome, was against the Cornishmen, a remnant of the old Britains, whome he shortlie ouercame and subdued. Then he thought good to tame the vnquiet Welshmen, the which still were readie to moue rebellion against the Englishmen,Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt. as they that being vanquished, would not yet seeme to be subdued, wherefore about the 14 yeare of his reigne, he inuaded the countrie of Wales, and went through the same from cast to west, not finding a|nie person that durst resist him.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 King Egbert hauing ouercome his enimies of Wales and Cornewall, began to grow in authori|tie aboue all the other rulers within this land,Bernulf king of Mercia. in so|much that euerie of them began to feare their owne estate, but namelie Bernulfe king of Mercia sore stomached the matter, as he that was wise, and of a loftie courage, and yet doubted to haue to doo with Egbert, who was knowen also to be a man both skilfull and valiant. At length yet considering with himselfe, that if his chance should be to speed well, so much the more should his praise be increa|sed, he determined to attempt the fortune of warre, and therevpon intimated the same vnto Egbert, who supposing it should be a dishonor vnto him to giue place,A battell fought at El|lendon. boldlie prepared to méete Bernulfe in the field. Herevpon they incountred togither at Ellen|don, & fought a sore battell, in the which a huge num|ber of men were slaine, what on the one part, and on the other,Egbert wan the victorie. but in the end the victorie remained with Egbert, although he had not the like host for num|ber vnto Bernulfe, but he was a politike prince, and of great experience, hauing chosen his souldiers of nimble, leane, and hartie men; where Bernulfs souldiers (through long ease) were cowardlie per|sons, and ouercharged with flesh.Wil. Malm. 826 The battell was fought in the yeare of our Lord 826.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 King Egbert hauing got this victorie, was ad|uanced into such hope, that he persuaded himselfe to be able without great adoo to ouercome the resi|due of his neighbours, whose estates he saw plaine|lie sore weakened and fallen into great decaie. Herevpon before all other, he determined to assaile Edelvulfe king of Kent, whome he knew to be a man in no estimation amongest his subiects. A competent armie therefore being leuied, he appoin|ted his sonne Ethelwulfe & Alstan bishop of Shire|borne,Alstan [...]; of Shireborn a warrior. with earle Walhard to haue the conduct ther|of, and sent them with the same into Kent, where they wrought such maisteries, that they chased both the king and all other that would not submit them|selues, out of the countrie, constreining them to passe ouer the Thames.The cõquests of the West|saxons. And herewith the West|saxons following the victorie, brought vnder subiec|tion of king Egbert the countries of Kent, Essex, Southerie, and Sussex. The Eastangles also about the same time receiued king Egbert for their soue|reigne Lord,Hent. Hunt. and comforted by his setting on against Bernulfe king of Mercia, inuaded the confines of his kingdome, in reuenge of displeasures which he had doone to them latelie before, by inuading their countrie, and as it came to passe, incountring with the said Bernulfe which came against them to defend his countrie,Bernulfe king of Mercia slaine. they slue him in the field.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus their minds on both parts being kindled into further wrath, the Eastangles estsoones in the yeare following fought with them of Mercia, and ouercame them againe, and slue their king Ludi|cenus, who succéeded Bernulfe in that kingdome, with 5 of his earles. The state of the kingdome of Mercia being weakened, Egbert conceiued an as|sured hope of good successe, & in the 27 yeare of his reigne, made an open inuasion into the countrie, and chasing Whitlafe king of Mercia (that succee|ded Ludicenus) out of his estate, conquered the whole kingdome of the Mercies. But yet in the yéere next following, or in the third yeare after, he restored it againe to Whitlafe, with condition, that he should inioy the same as tributarie to him, and acknow|ledge him for his supreme gouernour.Simon Dun. The same yeare that Bernulfe king of Mercia was slaine by the Eastangles,These men the Cornish men as is to be supposed. there was a sore battell foughten at Gauelford, betwixt them of Deuonshire, and the Britains, in the which manie thousand died on both parts.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 King Egbert hauing conquered all the English people inhabiting on the south side of Humber, led foorth his armie against them of Northumberland: but the Northumbers being not onelie vexed with ciuill sedition, but also with the often inuasion of Danes, perceiued not how they should be able to re|sist the power of king Egbert:King Egbert inuadeth Northumber|land. The Nor|thumbers such mit them|selues to king Egbert. and therefore vpon good aduisement taken in the matter, they resolued to submit themselues, and therevpon sent ambassa|dors to him to offer their submission, committing themselues wholie vnto his protection. King Egbert gladlie receiued them, and promised to defend them from all forren enimies. Thus the kingdome of Nor|thumberland was brought vnder subiection to the kings of the Westsaxons, after the state had béen sore weakened with contention and ciuill discord that had continued amongst the nobles of the countrie, for the space of manie yeeres, beside the inuasion made by outward enimies, to the gréeuous damage of the people.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After that king Egbert had finished his businesse in Northumberland, he turned his power towards the countrie of Northwales, and subdued the same, EEBO page image 139 with the citie of Chester, which till those daies, [...] Northwales and the citie of Chester conquered by Egbert. the Britains or Welshmen had kept in their possession. When king Egbert had obteined these victories, and made such conquests as before is mentioned, of the people héere in this land, he caused a councell to be as|sembled at Winchester, and there by aduise of the high estates, he was crowned king, as [...]ouereigne gouernour and supreame lord of the whole land. It is also recorded, that he caused a commission to be direc|ted foorth into all parts of the realme, to giue com|mandement, that from thence forward all the people inhabiting within this land, should be called English men, and not Saxons, and likewise the land should be called England by one generall name,The name of this [...] when [...] chan|ged. though it should appéere (as before is mentioned) that it was so called shortlie after the first time that the Angles and Saxons got possession thereof.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Now was king Egbert setled in good quiet, and his dominions reduced out of the troubles of warre, when suddenlie newes came,The Danes. that the Danes with a nauie of 35 ships, were arriued on the English coasts, and began to make sore warre in the land. K. Egbert being thereof aduertised, with all conueni|ent spéed got togither an armie, and went foorth to giue battell to the enimies. Heerevpon incountring with them, there was a sore foughten field betwixt them, which continued with great slaughter on both sides, till the night came on, and then by chance of warre the Englishmen, which before were at point to haue gone awaie with victorie, were vanquished and put to flight,The English|men discomfi|ted by Danes. Simon Dun. H. Hunt. Matth. West. 834 yet king Egbert by couert of the night escaped his enimies hands: but two of his chiefe capteins Dudda and Osmond, with two bi|shops, to wit, Herferd of Winchester, and Uigferd of Shireborne, were slaine in that battell, which was foughten at Carrum, about the 834 of Christ, and 34 yéere of king Egberts reigne.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the yeere following,Danes and Welshmen vanquished. the Danes with their na|uie came into Westwales, and there the Welshmen ioining with them, rose against king Egbert, but he with prosperous fortune vanquished and slue both the Danes and Welshmen, and that in great num|ber, at a place called Hengistenton. The next yéere after also, which was 836, he ouerthrew another ar|mie of Danes which came against him,836 Matth. West. as one autor writeth. Finallie, when king Egbert had reigned the tearme of 36 yéeres and seuen moneths with great glorie for the inlarging of his kingdome with wide bounds, which when he receiued was but of small compasse, he departed this life,Egbert de|parteth this life. leauing to his issue matter of woorthie praise to mainteine that with order which he with painefull diligence had ioined to|gither. His bodie was buried at Winchester,837 and he left behind him two sonnes Ethelwuffe,Matth. West. otherwise named Athaulfe and Adelstan. The first he appointed to succéed him in the kingdome of Westsaxons, and Adelstan he ordeined to haue the gouernment of Kent, Sussex, and Essex.

¶Héere we sée the paterne of a fortunate prines in all his affaires, as well forren as domesticall, wherein is first to be obserued the order of his edu|cation in his tender yéeres, which agréeing well with a princes nature, could not but in the progresse of his age bring great matters to passe, his manifold victories are an argument that as he lacked no poli|cie, so he had prowesse inough to incounter with his enimies, to whome he gaue manie a f [...]wle discomfi|ture. But among all other notes of his skill and hope of happie successe in his martiall affaires, was the good choise that he made of seruiceable souldiers, being such as knew how to get the victorie, and ha|uing gotten it, were not vntaught to vse it to their benefit, by their warinesse and héed taking; for

Saepiùs incautae nocuit victoria turb [...].