Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum tricesimum.

[folio 293a]

AFTER Kenelme, Colwulphus brother to his fader succedid in the realme of the marches, whom Beornulphus the tyraunte expulsede after the secunde yere of his reigne, and reignede for hym ij. yere. Whiche ȝiffenge battelle to Este Ynglische men, was taken and sleyne of theyme: Ludican, cosyn to hym, wyll|ynge to venge his dethe, was sleyne also of Este Ynglische men, with v. dukes; whom Wiglanus cosyn to hym did succede, and regnede xiij. yere; but Egberte trowblede his realme longe.

Eugenius the iiij^the succedid Paschalis the pope iiij. yere; whiche sende the boones of seynte Sebastian to Hildewinus abbot of Seynte Dionise. Valentinus, the pope succedid Eugenius the iiij. yere. In whiche tyme seynte Swithyne was borne in the cite of Wynechestre, which eschewede [Sic in MS.] mony miracles þer after the dethe of Helmstanus. Gregorius the iiij. was pope after Valentinus xiij. yere. Giraldus, distinc|tione prima, capitulo xvij. Theodulphus was of noble fame in the tyme of this pope, firste the abbot Floriacense, and after the bischop Aurelianense; whiche put to exile by kyng Lodowicus, for a certyne cryme put to hym by his enemys, to the cite Ande|gavense, made "Gloria, laus," and other versus folowynge. Whiche songe afore Lodowicus kynge of Fraunce, beynge in the same cite on Palme Sonneday, ȝafe pardon to the bischop for his labore, and restorede him unto his seete. Also Rabanus, a monke Meldense, was of grete fame in this tyme; whiche made a booke of the natures of thynges, and an oþer

book of the lawde of the crosse in noble metre. Strabus the grete gloser in divinite was disciple to hym. The Danes robbede and wasted the yle of Schepey nye to Kente this yere, wherefore Egberte the kynge fauȝhte with theyme at Carre, but he was put to flyȝhte. A mayde havynge xij. yere in age, in the cite Tulense, faste by vj. monethes contynually in brede and water after that sche hade receyvyde the blissede sacra|mente on Ester day, and after that sche abstenede by thre yere folowynge contynually from alle meyte and drynke, and that doen sche lyvede after the commune lyfe. Wickede men of the Romanes sende to the Soldan of Babilony that and if he wolde [folio 293b] come to Rome he wolde rejoyce Ytaly. Whiche commynge to that [The Soldan spoylede the cite of Rome.] cuntre spoylede Rome, and made the churche of Seynte Petre a stable for theire horses, and destroyede Tuscia and Scicille. But at the laste thei were expulsede into Affrike by labor of Gregory the pope to the Longobardes and men of Fraunce; whiche

entrenge into Affrike, a grete parte of the Soldanes hoste was drownyde. Helinstanus, bischop of Wynchestre, diede in this yere, whom seynte Swithyne did succede. The Danes entrede the weste partes, whiche confederate with the Britons entrede the costes of kynge Egbert, but they loste the victory at Hengistdon. Willelmus de Regibus, libro secundo. Egberte kynge of Westesaxons diede, whom Athulphus other Athel|wulfus his sonne suceedid xxij. yere. This Athelwulphus was [This kynge was subdi|acon.] taken to be noryschede of blissede Helinstanus, bischop of Wynchestre, of whom he was made subdiacon, neverthelesse he was erecte into the kynge by thauctorite of Leo the pope. Whiche gate of Osburga his wife, doȝhter of his butteler, iiij. noble sonnes, reignynge by succession after theire fader; and takynge Aluredus his yongeste sonne with hym, wente to Rome, and taryede þer by oon yere, where he repairede nobly

the scole of the Saxons, ordeynede firste by kynge Offa, as hit is seide; whiche seynge men penitent and owtelawes bownde þer openly, purchasede of the pope that men of Ynglonde scholde not be so entretyde with owte theire awne realme from that tyme. Wherefore men say he grauntede a peny to Seynte Petyr of every house in his realme. Also he ȝafe a [Of Petyr i^d.] c. mark to the lyȝhte of Seynte Petre, a c. marke to the lyȝhte of Seynte Paule, and a c. marke to the pope. Also he releyschede alle his churches from every tribute pertenynge to hym, and offrede the x^the parte of his goodes to God; whiche maryede Iuditha, the doȝhter of Karolus Calvus, or Ballede Charls, in returnynge from Rome to Ynglonde. And for cause that he sette here in a throne nye to hym, ageyne the consue|tude of the realme, his eldeste sonne did ryse ageyne hym with mony gentylle men of the cuntre. Wherefore the fader ȝiffenge

to his sonne a grete parte of his realme to lyve in reste, kowthe unnethe obteyne hit; ffor the consuetude was amonge theyme that the wife of theire kynge scholde not have suche honoure, to the hate of Ethelburga, the doȝhter of kynge Offa, whiche did slee Brithricus here howsebonde with poyson. ℞. [folio 294a] This kynge sende to seynte Modwenne to Yrlonde Alurede his [Of seynte Mod|wenne.] welbelovyde, as in an infirmite incurable, that he myȝhte be helpede by here. Wherefore the churche of seynte Mod|wenne destroyede in Yrlonde, the kynge toke to seynte Mod|wenne commyn into Ynglonde grownde to edifye ij. monas|terys; oon in Ardern, at Polliswurthe, whiche remaynethe unto this tyme. In whom Ositha and Athea, virgyns, taryede with seynte Editha, sustyr of kynge Atulphus. Seynte Modwenne taryede at the other monastery at Streneschalle by a certeyne space, and after that wente thryes to Rome; whiche lyvynge as a recluse by the space of vij. yere at an yle callede

Andreseia, nye to Burton, and the vij. yere paste sche diede þer. The Danes did sle mony men in Lindesey this yere, in este partes of Ynglonde also, and in Kente. Wiglaf the kynge of Marches diede in this yere, the xiii. yere of his reigne, and was beryede at Rependon; whiche gate Wigmundus, and he gate seynte Wystan martir; and Bertulphus reignede after on the Marches xij. yere, Bertforcus, the sonne of whom, did sle seynte Wystan cruelly. Willelmus de Regibus, libro secundo.