dcclxxiv_o this_o year_n the_o northumbrian_n expel_v their_o king_n albred_a from_o york_n about_o easter_n and_o choose_v ethelred_n the_o son_n of_o moll_n once_o king_n for_o their_o lord_n he_o reign_v 4_o year_n of_o which_o transaction_n roger_n hoveden_n give_v we_o this_o particular_a relation_n that_o king_n alhr_v be_v depose_v by_o the_o common-council_n and_o consent_v of_o his_o own_o subject_n and_o forsake_v of_o all_o his_o great_a man_n be_v force_v to_o retire_v first_o to_o the_o city_n of_o bebban_n afterward_o call_v banbarough-castle_n from_o whence_o he_o betake_v himself_o to_o cynoth_n king_n of_o the_o pict_n with_o but_o very_o few_o follower_n the_o same_o year_n also_o appear_v a_o red_a cross_n in_o the_o heaven_n after_o sunset_n and_o the_o mercian_n and_o kentish-man_n fight_v at_o ottanford_n now_o otford_n in_o kent_n but_o neither_o the_o saxon_a annal_n nor_o any_o other_o vouchsafe_v to_o tell_v we_o what_o be_v the_o quarrel_n nor_o who_o be_v the_o commander_n on_o either_o side_n nor_o yet_o what_o be_v the_o success_n also_o strange_a serpent_n be_v see_v in_o the_o province_n of_o the_o south_n saxon_n mat._n westminster_n place_v this_o prodigy_n two_o year_n after_o and_o say_v they_o seem_v to_o creep_v out_o of_o the_o earth_n dcclxxv_o this_o year_n cynwulf_n king_n of_o the_o west_n saxon_n and_o offa_n king_n of_o the_o mercian_n fight_v at_o binsington_n now_o bensington_n in_o oxfordshire_n but_o offa_n take_v the_o town_n so_o it_o seem_v cynwulf_n have_v the_o worst_a of_o it_o here_o follow_v in_o the_o peterburgh_n copy_n another_o relation_n concern_v that_o abbey_n which_o be_v thus_o that_o in_o the_o reign_n of_o king_n offa_n there_o be_v a_o certain_a abbot_n of_o medeshamstead_n call_v beonna_n who_o with_o the_o consent_n of_o the_o monk_n of_o his_o monastery_n lease_v out_o to_o cuthbriht_v the_o ealderman_n x_o bonde-land_n that_o be_v the_o ground_n of_o ten_o bondman_n or_o villain_n at_o swinesheafde_a with_o the_o meadow_n and_o pasture_n and_o all_o other_o thing_n thereunto_o belong_v upon_o this_o condition_n that_o cuthbriht_n shall_v pay_v the_o abbot_n fifty_o pound_n and_o one_o night_n entertainment_n every_o year_n or_o else_o thirty_o shilling_n in_o money_n and_o that_o after_o his_o death_n the_o land_n shall_v again_o revert_v to_o the_o monastery_n to_o which_o grant_n king_n offa_n king_n egferth_n arch_a bishop_n higebert_n the_o bishop_n ceolwulf_n the_o bishop_n inwona_n with_o beon_n the_o abbot_n and_o many_o other_o bishop_n abbot_n and_o great_a man_n be_v witness_n i_o have_v insert_v this_o passage_n tho'_o it_o do_v not_o relate_v to_o the_o civil_a history_n of_o these_o time_n because_o it_o be_v the_o first_o example_n of_o a_o lease_n of_o this_o kind_n and_o seem_v to_o have_v be_v do_v in_o a_o great_a council_n of_o the_o kingdom_n where_o these_o king_n be_v present_a which_o be_v then_o necessary_a for_o such_o a_o grant_n also_o in_o the_o time_n of_o this_o king_n offa_n as_o the_o peterburgh_n copy_n relate_v there_o be_v a_o certain_a ealderman_n call_v brordan_n who_o desire_v of_o the_o king_n that_o for_o his_o sake_n he_o will_v free_v a_o certain_a monastery_n of_o he_o call_v wocingas_n because_o he_o intend_v to_o give_v it_o to_o st._n peter_n and_o to_o the_o church_n of_o medeshamsted_n one_o pusa_n be_v then_o abbot_n of_o it_o dcclxxv_o this_o pusa_n succeed_v beonna_n and_o the_o king_n love_v he_o very_o well_o wherefore_o he_o free_v the_o church_n of_o wocingas_n by_o the_o king_n consent_n with_o that_o of_o the_o bishop_n earls_z and_o all_o other_o man_n consent_n so_o that_o no_o body_n shall_v from_o thenceforth_o have_v any_o duty_n or_o tribute_n beside_o st._n peter_n and_o the_o abbot_n this_o be_v do_v in_o the_o king_n town_n call_v freoricburne_n pehtwin_n dcclxxvi_o bishop_n of_o witerne_n call_v in_o latin_a candida_n casa_n decease_v xiii_o kal._n octob._n he_o be_v bishop_n fourteen_o year_n and_o have_v be_v breed_v under_o aldhelm_n that_o pious_a bishop_n of_o winchester_n and_o the_o same_o year_n ethelbert_n be_v consecrate_v bishop_n of_o that_o see_v at_o york_n xvii_o kal._n junii_fw-la this_o year_n according_a to_o the_o welsh_a chronicle_n the_o south-welshman_n destroy_v great_a part_n of_o mercia_n with_o fire_n and_o sword_n as_o also_o the_o summer_n follow_v all_o the_o welshman_n dcclxxvii_o both_o of_o north_n and_o south-wales_n gather_v themselves_o together_o and_o invade_v the_o kingdom_n of_o mercia_n make_v great_a spoil_n by_o burn_v and_o plunder_v the_o country_n whereupon_o king_n offa_n be_v force_v to_o make_v peace_n with_o the_o other_o saxon_a king_n and_o to_o bend_v his_o whole_a force_n against_o the_o welsh_a man_n who_o not_o be_v able_a to_o encounter_v so_o great_a a_o strength_n as_o he_o then_o bring_v against_o they_o be_v force_v to_o quit_v all_o the_o plain_a country_n between_o the_o river_n of_o severne_n and_o wye_n and_o retire_v into_o the_o mountain_n whereupon_o offa_n perceive_v this_o seize_v upon_o all_o the_o country_n and_o plant_v saxon_n in_o their_o place_n and_o annex_v it_o to_o his_o own_o kingdom_n cause_v that_o famous_a ditch_n or_o trench_n to_o be_v make_v from_o sea_n to_o sea_n betwixt_o his_o kingdom_n and_o wales_n whereby_o he_o may_v the_o better_o defend_v his_o country_n from_o the_o incursion_n of_o the_o welsh_a hereafter_o this_o ditch_n be_v see_v at_o this_o day_n in_o divers_a place_n and_o be_v call_v welsh_a clawdh_n offa_n i.e._n offa_n ditch_n this_o year_n aethebald_a and_o hearbert_n kill_v three_o chief_a gerif_n or_o governor_n ealdwulf_n the_o son_n of_o bosa_n at_o cyningeselife_o i._n e._n king_n cliff_n dcclxxviii_o and_o cynwulf_n and_o ecga_n at_o helathyrn_n xi_o kal._n aprilis_n then_o alfwold_n take_v the_o kingdom_n aethelred_n be_v expel_v the_o land_n and_o reign_v ten_o year_n but_o h._n huntingdon_n and_o simeon_n of_o durham_n give_v we_o a_o more_o exact_a account_n of_o this_o matter_n that_o aethelred_n king_n of_o northumberland_n have_v cause_v three_o of_o his_o noble_n aldwulf_n kinwulf_n and_o ecga_n to_o be_v treacherous_o slay_v by_o two_o of_o the_o same_o rank_n the_o year_n follow_v his_o subject_n rebel_a against_o he_o they_o first_o slay_v aldwulf_n general_n of_o the_o king_n army_n in_o flight_n at_o the_o place_n above_o mention_v as_o they_o also_o do_v the_o two_o other_o commander_n in_o the_o same_o manner_n so_o that_o king_n aethelred_n captain_n be_v all_o slay_v and_o his_o hope_n as_o well_o as_o his_o force_n defeat_v he_o be_v force_v to_o flee_v into_o another_o country_n and_o so_o elfwald_n the_o son_n of_o oswulf_n succeed_v he_o tho'_o not_o without_o civil_a broil_n he_o be_v a_o just_a and_o pious_a prince_n yet_o can_v not_o escape_v the_o hard_a fate_n of_o his_o predecessor_n as_o you_o will_v see_v in_o due_a time_n the_o same_o year_n as_o the_o laudean_a copy_n relate_v king_n charles_n enter_v spain_n and_o destroy_v the_o city_n of_o pampelona_n and_o cesar_n augusta_n now_o call_v saragosa_n and_o have_v join_v his_o army_n subdue_v the_o saracen_n and_o receive_v hostage_n from_o they_o and_o then_o return_v by_o narbon_n and_o gascony_n into_o france_n this_o year_n the_o chief_a gerif_n or_o governor_n of_o northumberland_n burn_v beorne_v the_o ealderman_n in_o seletune_n 19_o kal._n januarij_fw-la dcclxxx_o roger_n hoveden_n call_v these_o gerif_n osbald_n and_o aethelheard_n and_o h._n huntingdon_n say_v they_o burn_v this_o ealderman_n or_o chief_a justice_n of_o the_o kingdom_n dcclxxx_o because_o he_o be_v more_o rigid_a and_o severe_a than_o in_o reason_n he_o ought_v to_o have_v be_v the_o same_o year_n the_o ancient_a saxon_n and_o frank_n fight_v against_o each_o other_o in_o which_o battle_n charles_n king_n of_o the_o frank_n gain_v the_o victory_n have_v waste_v the_o saxon_a territory_n with_o fire_n and_o sword_n and_o lay_v they_o to_o his_o own_o dominion_n as_o not_o only_o our_o own_o but_o the_o french_a historian_n relate_v also_o bishop_n aethelheard_v die_v at_o york_n and_o eanbald_n be_v consecrate_v to_o the_o same_o see_v and_o cynebald_a the_o bishop_n resign_v his_o see_n at_o lindisfarne_n and_o alchmuna_n bishop_n of_o hagulstead_n decease_v 7_o the_o id._n sept._n and_o higbert_n be_v consecrate_v in_o his_o stead_n the_o 6_o the_o of_o the_o nones_n of_o octob._n as_o likewise_o higbald_n be_v consecrate_v at_o soccabrig_n to_o be_v bishop_n of_o lindisfarne_n also_o king_n allwold_n send_v to_o rome_n to_o demand_v the_o pall_n for_o eanbald_n archbishop_n of_o york_n this_o year_n werburh_n the_o wife_n of_o king_n ceolred_n late_a king_n of_o the_o mercian_n dcclxxxii_o decease_v at_o her_o nunnery_n of_o chester_n where_o she_o be_v abbess_n and_o where_o the_o church_n be_v dedicate_v to_o her_o memory_n also_o cenwulf_n bishop_n of_o lindisfarne_v die_v
sir_n robert_n cotton_n and_o bennet_n college_n library_n have_v long_o since_o convince_v all_o learned_a man_n that_o we_o real_o have_v such_o monument_n in_o our_o archive_v which_o have_v be_v also_o far_o confirm_v as_o to_o the_o truth_n of_o it_o from_o two_o other_o manuscript_n copies_n give_v by_o archbishop_n laud_n to_o the_o bodleian_n library_n at_o oxford_n and_o late_o publish_v together_o with_o those_o abovemention_v by_o the_o aforesaid_a mr._n edmund_n gibson_n most_o of_o which_o copy_n belong_v to_o several_a ancient_a monastery_n and_o i_o doubt_v not_o but_o many_o more_o of_o they_o be_v lose_v at_o their_o dissolation_n in_o henry_n the_o eighth_n time_n or_o carry_v over_o sea_n for_o we_o find_v lazius_n in_o his_o book_n de_fw-fr migratione_fw-la gentium_fw-la quote_v several_a of_o they_o and_o it_o be_v evident_a that_o our_o annal_n sometime_o follow_v not_o tradition_n only_o but_o also_o old_a write_v history_n and_o perhaps_o latin_a writer_n as_o 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choose_v for_o that_o purpose_n shall_v examine_v those_o memorial_n and_o by_o compare_v they_o together_o shall_v extract_v a_o brief_a chronicle_n from_o they_o all_o which_o be_v to_o be_v preserve_v in_o the_o library_n of_o those_o monastery_n as_o authentic_a annal_n to_o be_v rely_v on_o by_o posterity_n that_o so_o the_o remembrance_n of_o those_o public_a affair_n of_o the_o kingdom_n may_v not_o be_v lose_v or_o devour_v by_o the_o rust_n of_o time_n which_o passage_n have_v sir_n thomas_n craig_n but_o careful_o consider_v he_o will_v have_v have_v no_o reason_n to_o doubt_v whether_o we_o have_v have_v any_o chronicle_n of_o those_o time_n remain_v in_o our_o archive_v and_o whether_o william_n of_o malmesbury_n and_o all_o the_o rest_n of_o our_o historian_n have_v blind_o follow_v florence_n of_o worcester_n into_o a_o error_n 47._o as_o cattle_n do_v their_o leader_n that_o break_v over_o a_o ditch_n but_o if_o our_o saxon_a annal_n be_v not_o a_o good_a foundation_n 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before_o it_o have_v give_v the_o world_n a_o satisfactory_a answer_n as_o to_o this_o matter_n which_o be_v that_o as_o to_o the_o general_a affair_n of_o the_o whole_a kingdom_n they_o all_o agree_v well_o enough_o though_o indeed_o as_o to_o foreign_a transaction_n or_o some_o few_o passage_n relate_v to_o their_o own_o private_a monastery_n there_o may_v be_v some_o addition_n that_o be_v not_o to_o be_v meet_v with_o in_o the_o rest_n as_o may_v be_v observe_v from_o those_o call_v the_o canterbury_n and_o laudean_a copy_n in_o the_o bodleian_n library_n so_o i_o shall_v leave_v it_o upon_o the_o whole_a matter_n to_o the_o reader_n to_o consider_v whether_o the_o author_n have_v make_v good_a his_o challenge_n viz._n that_o the_o english_a be_v not_o able_a to_o produce_v one_o approve_a writer_n of_o their_o own_o country_n who_o compose_v any_o story_n or_o history_n from_o the_o death_n of_o bede_n to_o the_o time_n of_o henry_n the_o second_o though_o i_o suppose_v he_o mean_v the_o first_o however_o it_o be_v unlucky_o print_v twice_o the_o second_o in_o one_o page_n but_o to_o come_v to_o this_o author_n second_o objection_n against_o our_o english_a historian_n the_o substance_n of_o which_o be_v that_o the_o writer_n as_o well_o before_o as_o after_o the_o conquest_n be_v monk_n who_o be_v dead_a to_o the_o world_n have_v no_o right_n of_o give_v a_o legal_a evidence_n it_o be_v express_o forbid_v by_o the_o canon_n law_n to_o concern_v themselves_o in_o secular_a matter_n and_o also_o that_o by_o reason_n of_o their_o solitary_a life_n they_o ought_v very_o seldom_o to_o be_v entrust_v in_o public_a affair_n see_v they_o be_v no_o competent_a judge_n concern_v they_o for_o it_o be_v not_o very_o probable_a that_o either_o the_o secret_n of_o prince_n or_o thing_n belong_v to_o the_o state_n be_v ever_o communicate_v to_o they_o otherwise_o than_o by_o common_a report_n see_v they_o be_v keep_v at_o the_o great_a distance_n from_o all_o manner_n of_o action_n and_o do_v oftentimes_o embrace_v thing_n doubtful_a as_o certain_a and_o fiction_n for_o matter_n of_o fact_n and_o that_o therefore_o this_o feign_a homage_n must_v of_o necessity_n fall_v to_o the_o ground_n for_o which_o there_o be_v no_o better_a evidence_n than_o that_o of_o a_o monk_n for_o it_o will_v not_o be_v admit_v as_o a_o good_a conclusion_n that_o because_o a_o monk_n say_v so_o therefore_o it_o be_v true_a this_o argument_n may_v as_o easy_o be_v retort_v upon_o he_o thus_o that_o as_o a_o thing_n be_v not_o true_a because_o a_o monk_n write_v it_o so_o neither_o be_v it_o false_a for_o that_o reason_n alone_o for_o though_o monk_n be_v by_o the_o canon_n law_n forbid_v meddle_v with_o secular_a affair_n and_o may_v not_o perhaps_o be_v admit_v for_o good_a witness_n in_o civil_a cause_n yet_o be_v this_o but_o a_o mere_a cavil_v as_o to_o the_o point_n in_o question_n since_o that_o be_v not_o the_o intent_n of_o the_o canon_n to_o forbid_v they_o the_o 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life_n of_o st._n wilfred_n bishop_n of_o york_n late_o publish_v by_o the_o learned_a dr._n gale_n have_v express_o tell_v we_o that_o the_o say_a bishop_n return_v home_o into_o his_o own_o country_n i._n e._n the_o kingdom_n of_o northumberland_n and_o carry_v along_o with_o he_o the_o rule_n of_o st._n benedict_n very_o much_o improve_v the_o constitution_n of_o god_n church_n by_o which_o he_o mean_v the_o monastery_n of_o those_o part_n and_o therefore_o the_o chronology_n once_o belong_v to_o the_o abbey_n of_o st._n augustine_n in_o canterbury_n dcxv_o print_v in_o the_o decem_fw-la scriptores_fw-la after_o will._n thornes_n chronicle_n under_o anno_fw-la 666_o upon_o very_o good_a ground_n thus_o observe_v that_o this_o year_n bishop_n wilfred_n cause_v the_o rule_n of_o st._n benedict_n to_o be_v observe_v in_o england_n that_o be_v in_o the_o north_n part_n 2229._o into_o which_o he_o then_o go_v for_o if_o that_o rule_n have_v not_o be_v observe_v in_o the_o southern_a part_n before_o how_o can_v it_o be_v say_v that_o he_o carry_v it_o out_o from_o thence_o along_o with_o he_o but_o to_o conclude_v there_o have_v be_v a_o dispute_n among_o the_o roman_a catholic_n beyond_o the_o sea_n about_o seventy_o year_n ago_o concern_v this_o matter_n some_o of_o they_o affirm_v that_o all_o the_o ancient_a english_a monk_n before_o the_o conquest_n be_v of_o the_o order_n of_o st._n equitus_fw-la or_o else_o of_o some_o other_o order_n whereupon_o those_o of_o the_o benedictine_n order_n write_v over_o to_o our_o antiquary_n in_o england_n viz._n sir_n robert_n cotton_n sir_n h._n spelman_n mr._n camden_n and_o mr._n selden_n appeal_n to_o their_o judgement_n herein_o from_o who_o they_o receive_v a_o letter_n under_o all_o their_o hand_n wherein_o they_o express_o certify_v that_o there_o be_v never_o any_o such_o order_n as_o that_o of_o st._n equitus_fw-la and_o further_o