ETHELBALD THE TENTH KING * 1.1 * 1.2 OF THE MERCIANS, AND THE FIF∣TEENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH∣MEN: HIS RAIGNE AND ACTS. CHAPTER XXVII.
EThelbald, cosen germane once remoued vnto King * 1.3 Chelred, succeeded him in the kingdome of the Mer∣cians, whereof he was the tenth in number, and of the Monarchs ouer the Englishmen, the fifteenth in * 1.4 account. He beganne his raigne in the yeere of grace seuen hundred sixteene, and with great honour raigned ouer all the Kings on the South side of Humber, whose time for the most part was spent in peace; yet some wars he had, and those with variable euents.
(2) For in the eighteenth yeere of his raigne, hee besieged Sommerton, and wanne it; and inuading * 1.5 Northumberland, without proffer of resistance, retur∣ned with great riches by spoile. The Britaines also that were ioined confederates with the West-Saxons, hee molested and ouercame, for whose reuenge King Cu∣thred gaue him battell neere vnto Burford, where he with his Mercians receiued the foile, and lost the Ban∣ner, * 1.6 wherein was portracted a Golden Dragon, the thir∣ty seuenth yeere of his raigne.
(3) The sinnes of these times both in Prince and * 1.7 people, were many and great, as by the Epistles of Bo∣niface an Englishman, and Archbishop of Mentz, is most manifest, wherein he reprooued his adulterous life, who refraining to marry, wallowed in filthy le∣cheries; by whose example the Noblemen of Mercia did the like: and their women, as well Nunnes as others, made away their chilaren borne out of wedlocke, whereby * 1.8 the graues were filled with dead bodies, as hell it selfe with damned soules. And in another Epistle sent vnto Cuth∣bert, Archbishop of Canterbury, he complaineth of the English Nunnes, who wandring in pilgrimage vnder * 1.9 shew of deuotion, liued in pleasure and wanton fornications, through all the Cities of France and of Lumbardy.
(4) This his Epistle tooke so good effect, that in re∣pentance King Ethelbald released and priuiledged the Church from all tributes to himselfe, and built the Abbey of Crowland in Lincolnshire, for the pacifying * 1.10 of Gods wrath towards his sinnes; when also it was enacted by Cuthbert and his Clergy, in a Conuoca∣tion held in his Prouince, that the sacred Scriptures should be read in their Monasteries, the Lords Praier and Creed, taught in the English tongue: which accordingly was done. Which Councell was held in the thirty yeere of this Kings raigne, and of Christs incarnation seuen hundred forty eight.
(5) Finally, when he had ruled forty two yeeres, fighting against Cuthred the West-Saxon, in a warre not * 1.11 prudently vndertaken, he was traiterously slaine by his owne subiects, at the procurement of Bernred a Leader of them, who affecting the kingdome by this stratagem of Treason, sought to attaine it, but was himselfe slaine by Offa the Mercian, before that this ill sowen seed could take any roote. The place of this Great Ethelbalds death, was Secondone, three miles from Ta•…•…worth, in the County of Warwicke; and of * 1.12 his buriall, Rept•…•…n in Darby-shire, where with honou∣rable obsequies he was enterred, the yeere of Christs humanity seuen hundred fiftie eight, hauing had nei∣the Wife nor Children.