The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.

* 1.1XVII. CHAP.

1.2.3. King Egfrid slain by the Picts.

4.5. Different censures of him.

6. Bishop Tr••mwin driven out of Picts∣lands.

* 1.21. THE year after the forementioned inva∣sion of Ireland, saith S. Beda, King Egfrid would himself conduct an army to spoyle and wast the Province of the Picts, though his freinds and especially S. Cuthbert, lately ordaind a Bishop, ear∣nestly diss••aded him. Being entred the Province with his army, the enemies conterfe••••ing fear fled from him: whom he pursuing, was lead into streits of inaccessible mountains, and there with the greatest part of his forces slain on the thir∣teenth day befo••e the Calends of Iune: in the for∣tieth year of his age, and fifteenth of his raign. Now, as I said, his freinds earnestly opposed his undertaking this warr: But as the year before he would not hearken to the most Reverend Father Egbert who diss••aded him from invading Ireland (Scotiam) from whence he had received no in∣jury: So now by Gods just iudgment for punish∣ment of that crime, he was hindred from heark∣ning to those who desired to with-hold him from his destruction.

2. Whilst King Egfrid was fighting against the Picts, S. Cuthbert anxious about the suc∣cesse went to Lugubalia (or Carlile) to com∣fort his Queen Ermenburga: and there God re∣vealed to him the death of the King, and de∣feat of his army. The particulars are thus re∣lated by S. Beda:* 1.3 Whilst King Egfrid (saith he) rashly adventured the invasion of the Picts, and with horrible cruelty wasted their countrey: the man of God Cuthbert, knowing that the time drew near which he had foretold his Sister, that the King should live but one year longer, he went to the Citty Lugubalia, corruptly named by the inhabitants Luel, to speak with the Queen, who there expected the event of this warr in a Mona∣stery of her Sister. The day after as the Cittizens were honourably leading him to see the walls of the Citty, and a fountain in the same of a wonder∣full structure according to the Roman manner, the Holy Bishop on a suddain as he was leaning on his staff, became troubled in mind, and with a sad countenance cast his eyes on the ground: and pre∣sently raising himself up again, and looking to heaven, he said not very loud,

Now is the combat decided. A Preist-standing by, who understood his meaning, suddenly and indiscreetly said to him, How doe you know this? But he unwilling to pu∣blish that which he had received by revelation, said, Doe you not see how suddenly and strangely the weather is changed, and grown tempestuous? But who can find out the iudgments of God?

3. After this he immediatly went to the Queen, and speaking with her secretly (it was then Sa∣turday) Be sure, said he, that on Munday morning betimes you take coach (for on Sunday you must not travell:) and make hast into the Royall Citty, for fear the King be killed▪ And because to mor∣row I am entreated to consecrate a Church in a Monastery near at hand, assoon as the dedication is dispatched I will make all hast after you. Thus writes S. Beda: and a little after he addes: The day following one who had fled out of the battell arrived, who plainly enough declared the secret predictions of the man of God and by computa∣tion it was found that the same moment the King was killed, in which it had been revealed to the Holy Bishop whilst he stood by the forementioned fountain.

4. Thus unhappily dyed this famous King Egfrid, and has left to posterity an argument of much dispute whether he be to be num∣bred among good or evill Kings. William of Malmsbury after a curious debate and exami∣nation of his particular acts,* 1.4 abstains not∣withstanding from a resolute Sentence: whom we will imitate. Certain it is that he had a great zeale in defending and propaga∣ting the Catholick Faith that he was wonder∣fully munificent towards Churches and Mona∣steries: that he bore great reverence to holy men, as to S. Cuthbert, &c. But on the other side what excuse can we find for his obstinat and irreconcileable hatred to S. Wilfrid, or his cruelty against the innocent Irish, &c. We will therefore leave him to the Iudge∣ment of Him who cannot iudge unjustly.

5. Some Writers affirme that he was slain by Bride or Birde his cousin germain, King of the Picts: However certain it is that by his death the Kingdom of the Northumbers suf∣fred an irreparable losse: for by the testimo∣ny of Saint Beda, from that time the hopes and strength of the English began to decay:* 1.5 for both the Picts recovered all their lands of which the English had been possessed: and the Scotts like∣wise living in Brittany, and some part of the Brittains regained their liberty, which they enioy to this time, forty six years after that battell. By which last clause and computation it appears

that S Beda wrote his History in the year of Grace seaven hundred thirty and one.

6. The Picts puffed up with Victory, drove all the English out of their countrey: and among others their worthy Bishop Trumwin who, as hath been said, betook himself to Streneshal••, the Monastery of Saint Elfleda, where he lived a great comfort and assistant to her in the government of her Monastery.

Notes

• * 1.1

  XVII. CH
• * 1.2

  A. D. 685. Bed. l. 4. c. ••6.
• * 1.3

  Bed. in vit Cuthbert cap. 27.
• * 1.4

  Malmsb. de Reg. l. 1. c. 3.
• * 1.5

  Bed. l. 4. c. 2••.