[1] Cuthred [figure appears here on page 193] AFter the deceaſſe of Ethelard king of weſt Sax|ons, his coſin Cuthred was made King & gouernour of thoſe people, raigning the terme of .xvj. yeares. He beganne his raigne in the yeare of our Lord .740.740 in the .xxiiij. yeare of the Emperour Leo Iſaurus, in the .xiiij. yeare of the raigne of the ſeconde Theodorus Cala king of Fraunce, and aboute the .vj. yeare of Ethfine King of Scottes.
[1] Hen. Hunt. Mat. VVeſt.This Cutred had muche to doe agaynſte E|dilbald king of Mercia, the which one while with ſtyrring his owne ſubiects the Weſt Saxons to rebellion, an other while with open warre, and ſometyme by ſecrete craft and ſubtile practiſes, ſought to diſquiet him.
[1] In the fourth yeare yet of his raigne, a peace was concluded betwixt them, and then ioyning theyr powers togyther, they went agaynſte the Welchmen, and gaue them a great ouerthrow, as before is partly touched.
[1] In the .ix. yeare of this Cuthreds raigne,Kenric the kings ſonne ſlaine. hys ſonne Kenric was ſlaine in a ſeditious tumult amongſt his men of warre, a Gentleman yong in yeares, but of a ſtoute courage, 749 Mat. VVeſt. and verie forwarde, whereby (as was thought) he came the ſooner to his ende.
[1] In the .xj. yeare of his raigne,751 Cuthred had warres agaynſt one of his Earles called Adelme, who rayſing a commotion againſt him, aduentu|red to giue battaile, though he had the ſmaller nũ|ber of men, and yet was at poynt to haue gone away with victorie, if by a wounde at that in|ſtant receyued, his periurie had not beene puni|ſhed, and the kings iuſt cauſe aduaunced to try|umphe ouer his aduerſarie, whome yet by waye of reconciliation he pardoned. In the .xiij. yeare of his raigne, 752 Mat. VVeſt. King Cuthred beeing not well able longer to ſuſtayne the prowde exactions and harde doings of Edelbalde King of Mercia, ray|ſed hys power, and encountered with the ſame Edelbalde at Hereforde, hauing with hym the foreſayde Earle Adelme, in whoſe valiaunte prowes he put great hope to attaine victorie: nei|ther was he deceyued: for by the ſtoute conduct and noble courage of the ſayde Adelme,King Edilbald put to flight. the loftie pryde of King Edelbalde was abated, ſo that he was there put to flight, and all his armye diſ|comfited, after ſore and terrible ſight continued and mainteyned euen to the vttermoſt poynt.
[1] In the .xxiiij. yeare of his raigne, this Cuthred fought eftſoones with the Welchmen, and obtey|ned the vpper hande, without any great loſſe of his people: for the enimies were eaſily put to flight and chaſed, to their own deſtruction.
[1] In the yeare after, king Cutred fell ſicke, and in the .xvj. yeare of his raigne hee departed thys lyfe, after ſo many great victories got againſt his enimies.