The chronicle of Ihon Hardyng in metre, fro[m] the first begynnyng of Engla[n]de, vnto ye reigne of Edwarde ye fourth where he made an end of his chronicle. And from yt time is added with a co[n]tinuacion of the storie in prose to this our tyme, now first emprinted, gathered out of diuerse and sondrie autours of moste certain knowelage [et] substanciall credit, yt either in latin orels in our mother toungue haue writen of ye affaires of Englande.

The .C .vi. Chapiter.

¶ Ethelbert kyng of Westsex protector of Englande that reigned fiue yere.

SIr Ethelbert his brother gan succede * 1.1 In whose dayes, the Danes destroied sore The east parties of England then in deed And home againe, they went harmeles therfore Destroyed the people, and the lande right sore But sone ther after, kyng Ethelbert them mette And sleugh theim downe, in bataile sore and bet

¶ An other hoost, then newe spoyled all Kent And by treaty, wyntred within the Isle Of Tenet, then by Kentishe mennes assent But at last, thei with a subtell wyle Despoyled all Kent, and falsely did beguyle And to their shipis went without delaye Into Denmarke, with muche riche araye

¶ This Ethelbert reigned whole fiue yere And dyed the yere of verey Christ his date Eyght hundred whole and therto sixty clere As Flores saieth, and hath it approbate But with sykenesse he was so alterate He dyed then, and at Shirborne buryed With greate worship and honour laudified

Notes

• * 1.1

  Kyng Ethel bert.