4. Words, abbreviated in the manuscripts, are written at length in the Harmony; and the Arabic figures are used, for brevity's sake, instead of the Roman numerals, which are universally found in the manuscripts of the original writers. 5. As the Harmony is intended for historical and not philological purposes, the text of the chronicles is given, not in the original Latin, but in an English literal translation. But the spelling of proper names, both in the Saxon column, which gives a vernacular idiom, and in the other chroniclers, who wrote in Latin, has been carefully retained, except in cases of manifest error. 6. The whole text of the six principal chroniclers between the years 849 and 901 has been given; and, in the same way, the whole of the supplementary chronicles, and all the Charters between the same dates, have been noticed in the Harmony. 7. Wherever, in either of the columns, a paragraph has been displaced for the purpose of juxta-position, small figures, denoting the original order, have been prefixed to each paragraph, or an explanatory note has been attached. By these means the reader may for himself reconstruct the chronicle, in its original state. Saron Chronicle mund of Eafa, Eafa of Eoppa, Eoppa of Ingild; Ingild was brother of Ine king of the West-Saxons, he who held the kingdom thirty seven winters, and afterwards went to St Peter, and there resigned his life; and they were the sons of Cenred, Cenred of Ceolwald, Ceolwald of Cutha, Cutha of Cuthwine, Cuthwine of Ceaulin, Ceawlin of Cynric, Cynric of Cerdic, Cerdic of Elesa, Elesa of Esla, Esla of Gewis, Gewis of Wig, Wig of Freawine, Freawine of Frithogar, Frithogar of Brond, Brond of Bældæg, Bældæg of Woden, Woden of Frithowald, Frithuwald of Frealaf, Frealaf of Frithuwulf, Frithuwulf of Fin, Fin of Godwulf, Godwulf of Geat, Or Ina. His memory is still preserved as a "household word," by the verger of Wells cathedral. ¶ Gewissæ, the West-Saxons. Geat of Tætwa, Tætwa of Beaw, of Heremod, Heremod of Itermon, Itermon of Hathra, Hathra of Hwala, Hwala of Bedwig, Bedwig of Sceaf, that is, the son of Noe, he was born in Noe's ark; Lamech, Matusalem, Enoh, Iae Asser Ethelwerd 849 his great-grandfather Eafa, whose father was Eoppa, and his great-grandfather's grandfather was Ingild, brother of Ine, king of the WesternAngles, who ended his life at Rome; and the abovenamed kings derived their origin from king Cenred. Cenred was the son of Ceolwald, son of Cuthwine, son of Ceaulin, son of Cynric, son of Cerdic, who also was the first possessor of the western part of Britain, after he had defeated the armies of the Britons: his father was Elesa, son of Esla, son of Geuuis, son of Wig, son of Freauuine, son of Frithogar, son of Brond, son of Balder, son of Uuothen, son of Frithouuald, son of Frealaf, son of Frithouulf, son of Fin, son of Goduulfe, son of Geat, the son of Eafa, who was the Sedulius makes mention of || Here are omitted the words 'who was the son of'; for Fin and Godwulf were two distinct persons, There are many other similar errors in all the six chronicles; but it will be unnecessary to notice them: the parallel columns of the others will, in almost every case, indicate and correct the error. When gentile poets with their fictions vain Geata was the son of Catwa, who was the son of Heremod, son of Tetuua, son of Beo, son of Scyld, of Scef. This Scef son came with one ship to an island of the ocean named Scani, sheathed in arms, and he was a young boy, and unknown to the people of that land; but he was received by them, and they guarded him as their own with much care, and afterwards chose him for their king. It is from him that king Athulf derives his descent. of Cuthwin, who was the son of Ceaulin, who was the son of Kenric, who was the son of Creodi, who was the son of Cerdic, who was the son of Elisi, who was the son of Esle, who was the son of Gewis, from whom the Britons name all that nation Gewis, who was the son of Wig, who was the son of Freawine, who was the son of Freodegar, who was the son of Brand, who was the son of Bealdeag, who was the son of Woden, who was the son of Frithewald, who was the son of Frealaf, who was the son of Fritheulf, who was the son of Finn, who was the son of Godulf, who was the son of Gæta, which Gæta the pagans long worshipped as a god. who was the son of Cetwa, who was the son of Beawa, who was the son of Sceldwa, the son of Affa, who was the son of Eoppa, who was the son of Ingild,-Ingild and Ine were brothers. Ine was the most famous king throughout the borders of all the nation of the English, who royally ruled the kingdoms of the western regions, and, when he had passed several years in his kingdom, went to Rome, leaving his country and present kingdom, that he might possess with Christ an eternal one, which the power of the divine majesty gave to him— These were the sons of Coenred, who was the son of Ceolwold, who was the son of Guda, who was the son of Cuderwine, who was the son of Ceawlin, who was the son of Cinric, who was the son of Creoda, who was the son of Cerdic, who was the son of Elesa, who was the son of Gewis, from whom the Britons name all that nation Gegwis, who was the son of Brand, who was the son of Belde, who was the son of Woden, who was the son of Frithuwald, who was the son of Frealaf, who was the son of Fridrenwulf, who was the son of Geta, whom the pagans long worshipped as a god. Sedulius, the famous poet, makes mention of him in his Paschal poem, beginning thus: [vain When gentile poets with their fictions In tragic language & bombastic strain To their god Geta, comic deity, Loud praises sing &c. Geta was the son of Cetwa, who was the son of Beaw, who was the son of Seldwa, Saron Chronicle red, Maleel, Cainon, Enos, Seth, Adam, primus homo et pater noster, id est Christus. Amen. CHARTERS IN 849. 1. ALHHUN bishop of Worcester. Kemble's Codex, vol. II, p. 33. 2. BERTWOLF, king of Mercia, Ib. p. 34. Asser who was the son of Methusalem, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Malaleel, who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam. was The mother of Alfred was named Osburgh, a religious woman, noble both by birth and by nature; she daughter of Oslac, the famous butler of king Ethelwulf, which Oslac was a Goth by nation, descended from the Goths and Jutes, of the seed, namely, of Stuf and Wihtzur, two brothers and counts; who, having received possession of the Isle of Wight from their uncle, king Cerdic, and his son Cynric their cousin, slew the few British inhabitants whom they could find in that island, at a place called Gwihtgaraburhg;* for the other inhabitants of the island had either been slain before, or escaped into exile. A. 850. CHARTERS IN 850. Two of ETHELWOLF king of Wessex. II, 35. AN. 851. Here alderman Ceorl fought with the heathen men in Devonshire at Wicganbeorge [WEMBURY,] and there made great slaughter, and gained the victory. 2 And the heathen men first sat over winter in Thanet. In the year of our Lord's incarnation 851, which was the third after the birth of king Alfred, Ceorl, earl of Devon, with the men of Devon fought against the pagans at a place called Wicgambeorg; and the Christians gained the victory. And that same year the pagans first wintered in the island called Sheppey, which means the Sheep-isle, and is situated in the river Thames between Essex and Kent, but is nearer to Kent than to Essex; it has in it a fine monastery MINSTER]. When seven years, then, had passed, Ceorl earl of Devon engages in battle against the pagans at a place called Uuiganbeorge; and they slay many of the Danes, and keep possession of the place of victory. 2 But in the course of that year the barbarians first wintered in the island of Thanet, which lies not far from Britain, and has fruitful but not large cornfields. salem, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Malaliel, who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam. The mother of Alfred was named Osburga, a religious woman, noble both by birth and by nature; she was daughter of Oslac, the famous butler of king Ætheluulf, which Oslac was a Goth by nation, descended from the Goths and Jutes, of the seed, namely, of Stuf and Wihtgar, two brothers and counts, who, having received possession of the Isle of Wight from their uncle, king Cerdic, and his son Cynric their cousin, slew the few British inhabitants whom they could find in that island, at a place called Wihtgarabirig; for the other inhabitants of the island had either been slain before, or escaped into exile. 850. On the calends of June [June 1], the eve of Whitsun day, Berhtferth, son of Berhtulf king of the Mercians, unjustly slew his relation St Wistan. Now this man was the grandson of two Mercian kings: for his father Wigmund was son of king Wiglaf, but his mother Elfleda was daughter of king Ceoluulf. But his body, being borne to the monastery at that time so famous, named Reopedun [REPTON], was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather king Wiglaf. To his martyrdom heavenly miracles were not wanting for from the place in which the innocent youth was slain, a column of light, stretching up to heaven, was visible for 30 days to all the neighbours of that place. 851. Ceorl earl of Devon, with the men of Devon, fought against the pagans at a place called Wicganbeorh; and the Christians gained the vic tory. And that same year the pagans first wintered in the island called Sheppey, which means the Sheep-isle, and is situated on the river Thames between Essex and Kent, but is nearer to Kent than to Essex; it has in it a fine monastery. 5 The consui also named Ceorl, with the people of Devonshire, fought against the pagans, and slew many, and was victorious at Wien orne. 7 This year the army of the pagans first stopped through the whole winter in this country. Simeon lem, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Malaleel, who was the son of Canaan, who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam the first man. But the mother of king Elfred was called Osburg; she was a very religious woman and noble in disposition, which nobility she adorned with prudence of mind. Her father also was called Oslac; he was the devoted and faithful butler of king Ethelwlf. For he was sprung from the Goths and the Jutes, of the seed of Stuph and Wihtgar, two brothers. Having premised these things, let us now, as far as we can, pursue the course of the work, which we have undertaken. In the year of our Lord's incarnation 851 and the third from the birth of Alfred, earl Ceorl fought against the Danes, and the Christians gained the victory over their enemies. The Danes also wintered in the island which is called Sheppey, i. e. Sheep-island. |