His Issue.
Edward, the eldest sonne, and second child of King Elfred, and Queene Elsewith, was borne about the beginning of his Fathers raigne, in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred seuenty one: hee was brought vp in his Fathers Court, and carefully attended, and instructed by men of great vertue and knowledge, in learning, and in all other qualities, and exercises conuenient for Princes. He was maried, and had di∣uers children: hee was thirty yeeres of age before his Father deceased, and then he succeeded him in his Kingdome and Monarchy.
Ethelward; the second son, & fift, and last child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith, was borne about the midst of his Fathers raigne, and about the yeare of our Lord eight hundred and eighty. Hee was in his youth by his Fathers appointment, and for the example of other young Nobles brought vp in the study of good Arts, at the vniuersity of Oxford, where (saith Th. Rudburne, and the Annales of Winchester) he became a man very learned, and a great Philoso∣pher: he had of his Fathers gift by his last Wil great liuings in the Counties of Deuon, Sommerset, South-Hampton: •…•…he proued a man of great iudgement and wisedome, and liuing vntill he was aboue forty yeres old; hee died the sixteenth day of October, in the two and twenty yeare of his brother King Edwards raign, Anno nine hundred twenty two, and was buri∣ed at Winchester.
Elfleda, the eldest daughter and first child of King Elfred, and Queene Elswith his wife, was married to Ethelred Duke of Mercia, who in respect of this mariage was suffered to haue all roiall iurisdiction ouer that Country, in as ample maner as the Kings thereof had enioied; and after the decease of her husband, which happened in the yeare of our Lord nine hundred and twelue: shee continued the go∣uernement in the same sort eight yeares, with such resolution and valiant resistance of the common ene∣my (the Danes) that she stood her brother Edward in great stead, as in the relation of his life shall be fur∣ther shewed. She died the fifteenth of Iune nine hundred and nineteene, and was buried in S. Peters Church at Gloucester, leauing issue, a daughter, na∣med Elswin, whom King Edward her brother depri∣ued of that Duchy, which her owne mother enioied, and he his crowne by her assistance.
Ethelgeda, the second daughter and fourth child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith, was neuer mar∣ried, but tooke vpon her the profession and vow of Virginity, and was by her fathers appointment made a Nunne of Shaftsbury in the County of Dorset, in the Monastery there founded by him: who is also accounted the first of the Towne it selfe. Shee was afterward Abbesse of the house, and therein spent, and ended her life, and was there also buried.
Elfride, the yongest daughter, and child of King Elfred (and Queene Elswith his wife, was married to Baldwin the second, surnamed the Bald, Earle of Flan∣ders, sonne of Earle Baldwin the first, and Queene Iu∣dith his wife, the widdow of King Ethelwolfe her Grandfather. Shee was his wife thirty yeares and more; shee suruiued him and was a widdow eleuen yeeres, she died the seuenth of Iune, in the yeere of our Lord nine hundred twenty nine, being the fift of the raigne of King Ethelstan her Nephew. She is bu∣ried by her husband in the Chappell of our Lady; within the Monastery of S. Peter, at the City of Gaunt. She had issue Arnulfe the third Earle of Flanders, pro∣genitor of all the Earles of Flanders since his time, & Ad•…•…lfe Earle of Bol•…•…igne and Terwi•…•….