The historie of Great Britannie declaring the successe of times and affaires in that iland, from the Romans first entrance, vntill the raigne of Egbert, the West-Saxon prince; who reduced the severall principalities of the Saxons and English, into a monarchie, and changed the name of Britannie into England.

CHAP. II.

Variance betweene the Archbishops of Canterburie, and Yorke. Wilfrid chiefe Bishop of the Northumbers, (expulsed from his owne sea at Yorke) flieth into Sus∣sex, where he converteth the inhabitants to the Christi∣an faith. He is curteously entertained by Edelwalch the Prince, who assigneth to him the Ile of Selesey for an Episcopall sea. The South-Saxons are brought vnder the obedience of the West-Saxon Princes.

IN the meane time Wilfrid, chief Bishop of the North∣humbers (being expulsed from his sea at York, by The∣odorus the Archbi. of Canterburie, & openly disgraced by Egfrid, then Prince of Northumberland) appealed to the Court of Rome, from which he obtained a defini∣tive sentence, for his justification, touching those mat∣ters wherewith he was charged, and also for his restitu∣tion and reestablishment in his Sea. But Egfrid the Prince refused to receive him, protesting against the sentence, as vnduly procured: whereupon Wilfrid the Bishop fled secretly into Sussex, and preached the Chri∣stian faith to the South-Saxons, whose Prince named Edelwalch received him with great joy, assigning vnto him for his Sea, the Ile of Selesey, where afterwards the foundation of a Monasterie was laid. After the death of Egfrid Prince of the Northumbers, he was revoked, and restored to his former dignitie, which yet he en∣joyed not long without interruption. He was a man of great courage, as having beene continually exercised with troubles, and worldly incumbrances, which do commonly deject and oppresse such as yeeld thereunto, but do engender constancie or obduracie in such as

encounter and oppose them. The authoritie of the Sea of Rome he was euer stiffely bent to maintaine. The cu∣stome of celebrating the feast of Easter after the Roman maner he diligently taught and defended in publike disputation against the Bishops of Scotland, who obser∣ved the vsage of the East Churches, according to the tradition of the Iewes.

It is reported of him, that while he remained in the Province of the South-Saxons, he instructed the rude poore people, (dwelling vpon the Sea coasts) in the art of fishing with Nets, and Ginnes, by which meanes they were relieved in the time of famine, wherewith the Country was then much afflicted.

The province enjoyed a long time of prosperitie vnder this Christian Prince, till in the end it was assai∣led by Ceadwall, a man of great power and courage (des∣cended from the race of the West-Saxon Princes) who being banished from his owne Country, attempted by force to have expulsed Edelwalch: and finally (after ma∣ny conflicts) slue him in battaile. Howbeit (the grea∣test number of his owne forces being spent in that warre) he was afterwards constrained to abandon the Province (which Aldin then governed) till afterwards obteyning the West-Saxon Principalitie, he assaied the recoverie of it againe, and in the end, by conquest, an∣nexed it to that government, when it had remained (a∣bout three hundred yeares) vnder the obedience of the South-Saxon Princes.

The succession of the Mercian Princes.

• 1 Creda, the first Prince of the Mercians, ruled about ten yeares.
• 2 Wibba (the sonne of Creda,) twentie yeares.
• 3 Ceorla (the sonne of Wibba) ten yeares.
• 4 Penda (surnamed the Stowt) the sonne of Wibba, thirtie yeares.
• 5 Peda, the sonne of Penda, the first christian Prince.
• 6 Oswin.
• 7 Wulfere, the brother of Peda.
• 8 Ethelred, the brother of Wulfhere.
• 9 Kinred, the sonne of Wulfhere.
• 10 Celred, the sonne of Ethelred.
• 11 Ethelbald.
• 12 Bartred.
• 13 Offa, the nephew of Ethelbald.
• 14 Ecfrid, the sonne of Offa.
• 15 Kenulph, nephew to Penda in the fifth degree.
• 16 Kenelm, a child of seven yeares (the sonne of Ecfrid) murdered by his owne sister, and reputed a Martyr.
• 17 Ceolwulph, brother to Kenulph.
• 18 Bernulph, defeated by Egbert Prince of the West-Saxons.

❧The succession of Bishops in the Principalitie of the Mercians, till the raigne of Egbert the first English Monarch.

Bishops of Lichfield, and Chester.

• 656 Diuma, (the first Bishop of the Mercians) sate two yeares.
• 658 Cella, two yeares.
• 660 Trumherus, five yeares.
• 665 Iarumannus, foure yeares.
• 669 Cedda, (removed from the Sea of Yorke) three yeares.
• 672 Winfridus, foure yeares.
• 676 Sexulphus, sixteene yeares.
• 692 Hedda, twentie-foure yeares.
• 716 Aldwinus, twentie one yeares.
• 737 Witta, fourteene yeares.
• 751 Hemetus, thirteene yeares.
• 764 Cuthfridus, nine yeares.
• 773 Bertunus, seven yeares.
• 780 Higbertus, ten yeares.
• 790 Aldulfus, (in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince) twentie foure yeares.

Bishops of Lindisferne, now called Holy-Iland.

• 678 Edhedus, sate one yeare.
• 679 Aethelwinus, twenty two yeares.
• 701 Edgarus, nineteene yeares.
• ...

• 720 Kenebertus, thirteene yeares.
• 733 Alwich, eighteene yeares.
• 751 Aldulphus, sixteene yeares.
• 767 Ceolwulfus, seventeene yeares.
• 784 Vnwona, two yeares.
• 786 Ealdulphus, (after whose death the Sea was void cer∣taine yeares) lived about the time of Egbert the West-saxon Prince.

Bishops of Hereford,

• 680 Putta sate eleven yeares.
• 691 Tirthelus, twelve yeares.
• 703 Tortherus, fifteene yeares.
• 718 Walstodus, eighteene yeares.
• 736 Cuthbertus, five yeares.
• 741 Podda, five yeares.
• 746 Ecca, six yeares.
• 752 Cedda, six yeares.
• 758 Aldbertus, eleven yeares.
• 769 Esna six yeares.
• 775 Ceolmundus, eight yeares.
• 783 Vtellus, five yeares.
• 788 Wulfhardus (in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince) twentie one yeares.

Bishops of Worcester.

• 688 Boselus, sate twelve yeares.
• 692 Ostforus, one yeare.
• 693 Egwinus, twentie foure yeares.
• 717 Wilfridus, twentie seven yeares.
• 744 Mildredus, thirtie two yeares.
• 776 Weremundus, three yeares.
• ...

• 779 Wolberus, two yeares.
• 782 Eathoredus, seven yeares.
• 789 Denebertus, (in the time of Egbert the West-Sax∣on Prince) thirtie three yeares.

Bishops of the Middle-English, whose Sea was at Leycester.

• 692 Wilfrid, (expulsed from his province of Northum∣berland) sate ten yeares; after whose departure the Sea of Leycester was governed by the Bishops of Lichfield, vntill the time of Totta.
• 737 Totta, twentie seven yeares.
• 764 Edbertus, (in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince) fortie three yeares.