Here begynneth a shorte and abreue table on the Cronycles ...

¶How kynge Offa was souerayne aboue all the kynges of Englonde / and how euery kyn∣ge warred vpon other.

IT befell so that all the kynges in that ty∣me that were in y^u londe. as they of west¦sex. Marchenryche. Estangle / of kente / and of Southsex and of other costes eche warred vpon other And he that moste myght toke the londe of hym that was mooste feblest. ¶But there was a kynge amonge them that was cal¦led Offa / that was saynte Oswaldes brother. This Offa conquered all the kynges of y^e lon∣de / and regned all aboue them all. ¶And s•••• gret was the y^t warre in euery there bytwene

grekes / that no mā myght wyte how the lond wente. But abbottos pryours / & men of Rely¦gyon wrote y^t lyues & dedes of kynges / & how longe euery of theym regned & in what coūtre & in what manere euery kynge deyed / & of bys¦shops also. And therof made grete bokys and lete calle them Cronycles. And the good kyng Alured had that booke in his warde. And lette brynge it vnto wynchestre / and lete it be faste tacked to a pylar that men sholde it not reme∣ue / ne bere it thens / so that euery man sholde it see & therupon loke For therin ben the lyues of all the kynges that euer were in Englonde.