The chronicle of Iohn Hardyng. Containing an account of public transactions from the earliest period of English history to the beginning of the reign of King Edward the Fourth. Together with the continuation by Richard Grafton, to the thirty fourth year of King Henry the Eighth. The former part collated with two manuscripts of the author's own time; the last, with Grafton's duplicate edition. To which are added a biographical and literary preface, and an index, by Henry Ellis.

The. C.v. Chapiter.

¶ Athelwolfe, kynge of Westsex, reygned. xix. yere, & dyed the yere. viii. hundreth. liii [lviii. edit. alt.] . after Chrystes byrth.

AThelwolfe was king crowned at his citee [Tythes firste graūted to the clergy in En∣glande.] Of Westchester, in [all] royall estate, To whome the kinges & lordes made feaute, And homage leege as was preordynate, That reygned after. xix. yere fortunate,

[And graunted] [Which graunte.] the churche tythes of corne & haye, [Fol. C.v.] Of bestiall also [als.] through [through all.] Westsex for ay.

¶ In the [The. edit. alt.] yere eyght hundred thirty and eyght, The Danes arriued [arrofe.] with shippis fourscore & thre, Where Athelstane his sonne did with theim feight, And duke Wolfward, by greate fortunitee, Theim toke and slewe with all [grete.] felicitee; But Athelstane in that battaile was slaine Of his warres, that was the capitain [chief capetayne.] .

¶ And in the yere eight hundred thirty and nyne, The kyng faught sore with Danes at Mersyngtō, Wher erle Harbart was slain, a prince full fyne, But Danes all were take and slain their [there.] [a] doune, Without mercie cracked vpon the croune: The kyng came home with honour and victorye, As Flores saieth right in his memorye.

¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fourty and one, The Danes watched thest sea cost throughout With diuers hostes, for which y^e kyng made [great] mone, Al helples thē; the Danes that [than.] wer so stout, In many places with many diuerse [a divers.] rout, All harmlesse went, without [withoutyn.] hurt or pain, By diuers tyme that yere home [and home.] again.

In the yere eyght hundred foure and fourty, At Carham then the kyng full sore did fight With Danes fell, and had the victorye; And at Aluewik [Alnewik.] he faught again furth [full.] right With Danes also, wher kyng Redwolf [Alfwolde.] that hight Of Northumberlande, and erle Alffride was slain, And full greate parte [party.] of their hoost certain.

¶ Kyng Athilwolf came to the South contree, Wher Danes then in battaill with hym fought In Somersetshire, where he made many dye, And gate the feld and sleugh all that he caught,

[Wher great people y^t daie the death hath raught;] [And made theym flee vnto the see full straught.] Tharchbishop with his full wise clergie, Bysyde Sandwiche of Danes had victorye.

¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and one, The Danishe hoste in Thamis did arriue, Kent and Southray, Sussex and Hāshire anone Distroyed sore, and through the South gā dryue, Wher muche folke thei sleugh bothe māne & wife; Whiche host [efte.] y^e kyng with battaile slewe doune sore, That home again retourned thei no more.

¶ And in the yere eight hundred fifty and three, The kyng Edmond of Estangle [Estenglonde.] began To reigne after Albert [Egilberte.] , of greate beautee, That holy was, as his legend tell can. But Athilwolf [Athelwolfe.] the kyng, buryed [and Burthrede.] then The kyng of Mers [Merse.] , that had his doughter wed, All Wales wan, theim [they.] thought thei had well sped.

¶ This Athilwolf to [vnto.] Roome toke his [the.] waye, In pilgremage with hym his soonne Alured, [Cardinall was] [With the bishop then.] of Wynchester that daye, [Wher then he had the bishoprike in deede;] [Norished had beene, and deacon made in dede.] A perfecte clerke he was, as saieth sainct Bede, A philosphier wise and well approued, And [by the bishop of Rome] [with the pope.] cōmēdid well & loued.

¶ And there thei were abydyng full twoo [oone.] yere, And home thei came vnto the kyng of Fraunce, [Fol. C.vi.] And his doughter Iudith ther weddid clere, [By assent of hym and all his hole puysaunce. And so with worship and noble gouernaunce,] [

Doughter to Chareles the balde for alliaunce, By assent of hym and all his hooll puyssaunce.

] Fro thens he came sone into England, With hir and with his soonne, [as] I vnderstand.

¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three, The death his soule [gan frome his body] [fro the body gan.] dryue,

Vnto the blisse eternall, there to bee In heuen aboue, wher is euerlastyng life. To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife, The Roome pence then of all Englande, As Flores saieth, as I [can vnderstande [have vnderstande] .

¶ He was thē buryed at Winchester, in royallwise, As to suche a prince of reason should affere; And with his wife as did full well suffice, Foure sonnes he had, worthy without pere, Sir Athilwold [Athilbalde.] , Ethelbert, Elfride the dere, And Alrude [Alurede.] the youngest of echone; Afore theim all [one bast had,] [the booste hath.] Athelston.

¶ Athelbold was kyng after hym and heire And protector, with all [the] prerogatife, His stepdame wed, menne saied it was not faire, The churche hym gan punishe [to punysh.] and chastiue For cause he wed hir so vnto his wife, Again the lawe and Christen concience, Vnaccordant with his magnificence,

¶ That reigned [whole twoo yere and no more] [than two yere hoole and no more.] In greate sikenesse and pain inmorderate, Greately vexed [vesitt.] and punished was right [full.] sore, Menne saied he was for sinne inordinate With his stepdame that was so consociate; But then he had, as God would [woll.] , repentaunce, For his trespas and [and his.] misgouernaunce.

¶ Afore he dyed he did full sore repent, And for his synne stode to [in.] correccion Of holy churche, for his amendement, Submitted whole without obieccion; And for to liue in clene perfeccion, Departed were by lawe and deuorced, Afore his soule was passed and vncorced.