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. xciiii. Chapiter.

¶ How an hermite proud sainct Oswold his wife, at his desire, by biddyng of sainct Oswold. [Fol. xc.]

WHerfore he came vnto the kyng Oswold, And prayed hym he might knowe [here.] his life, And of his reuelacion then hym [he.] told: Wherfore he toke to hym is ryng by life, And [bade hym] saye the quene that was his [so than his.] wife To dooe with hym, [on] nightes twoo or three, As she was wonte at home to dooe with me.

¶ This token had [he], he satte with hir at meate, His meate & drynke when he would haue the best, But water and brede he might none other gette; And then at night she leide hym for to rest Right with hir self, so well hir self she trest; And when he [was ought] [oute.] sette to dooe amisse, In water [he] was cast, his fleshe to [keele and lisse.] [slake and lesse.]

¶ But when the daye came, he was full fain, And of the quene full soone toke his leue; Vnto the kyng he went anone again, And prayed hym fast he might passe home at eue, For of his life he would no more [more than.] preue, Whiche more holy was one [on a.] daye and night, Then all his life he [he saied.] euer been might.

¶ But Cadwall [Cadwallo.] , the kyng of Brytons, sent The kyng Penda to warre on kyng Oswold, Whome Oswold mette with greate assemblemēt [suppowelment.] , In battaile storng, at Heuenfeld, as God would, Wher people [Penda.] fled, with people manyfold, To kyng Cadwall, who with Penda anone Assembled an hoost on Oswold for to gon.

¶ Oswold thei [theym.] mette on Marfeld [Masterfelde.] that tyde, Wher he was slain, the yere of Christ was than Sixe hundred whole and fourty and twoo beside; His hedde and armes [arme.] , as Bede, the holy manne, In his chronicle hath write, who [so] rede it can, Vpon a tre was hong [honged.] many a daye, That rotted not, nor [ne.] in this world neuer maye.

¶ Oswy then in all Northumberlande [Oswy kyng of Northūberlande] The croune had and all the royalte, With Cadwallo he hight allwaye to stande; As souereigne lorde of Bryton then [so. edit. alt.] was he, And ouer [of.] all other [had then] [than hade he.] the mageste, But this Oswy made Humwald for to kyll The kyng Oswyn, that feloe was hym tyll.

¶ For cause he rose on hym with multitude, And nought for thy when thei together mette, All his people of full greate fortitude He withdrewe then, and with Humwald [therle Humald.] sette In pryue wise, without [withoutyn.] any lette; But false Humwald priuely hym slewe, On whome he trusted [truste.] and [trowed had bee] [went he hade be.] trewe.

¶ Quene Eufled that was kyng Oswys wife, Kyng Edwyn his doughter full of goodnesse [goodelynes.] , For Oswyns soule a minster in hir life Made at Tynmouth, and for Oswy causeles That hym [made hym.] so bee slain and killed helpeles; For she was kyn to Oswy and Oswyn, As Bede in chronicle dooeth determyn.

¶ This Oswyn nowe is canonized in shryne, Saynt Oswyn called at Tynmouth gloriously, [Fol. xci.] But kyng Oswy to Cadwall did enclyne, And Oswalde [his] hed and arme had leue to burye, Whiche he betoke [tooke.] to quene Bebla [Bebba.] in hye, Who closed theim in siluer fayre and clene, And theim betooke to saynt Aydan I [as men.] wene.

¶ This kyng Cadwall his feast at Londō made, [Kynge Cadwal.] To hym all kynges as souerayne lorde obeyed, Saue kyng Oswy at home that tyme abade, For whiche he trowed that he hym disobeyed; Wherfore he sent to Penda and hym prayed To warre on Oswy without delaye [any delaye.] , And make hym to his souerayne lorde obey.

¶ In which meane tyme this Penda slewe [hade slayne.] Anne Of Estangle [Est Englonde.] , that long had ben kyng [the kynge.] , A Christen prince and a full manly [worthy.] manne, And so [than.] came on kyng Oswy fast rydyng, Wher on [the felde] [mened.] they met sore fyghtynge, Whom Oswy slewe, and. xxx. dukes also That with hym came, and. xxx. M. moo.