THE CHRONICLE

OF

FLORENCE OF WORCESTER.

IN the year of our Lord 450, in the time of the emperor Martian, as Beda' testifies, the Anglo-Saxons came over to Britain in three long ships; they who came were of the three most powerful nations of Germany, that is to say, the Saxons, the Angles, and the Jutes. From the Jutes descend the inhabitants of Kent and the Isle of Wight; from the Saxons spring the East Saxons, the South Saxons, and the West Saxons; and from the Angles (that is, from the country which is called Angulus) have come the East Angles, the Mid-Angles, the Mercians, all the Northumbrian race, and the rest of the English people. Their two first leaders are said to have been two brothers named Hengst and Hors. They were the sons of Wictgisl, whose father was Witta, whose father was Wecta, whose father was Woden; from whose stock the royal families of many provinces deduce their origin.

A.D. 451-454.

A.D. 455. Hengst and Hors fought against Wyrtgeorne, king of the Britons, at a place which is called Aegelesthrep; and although Hors was slain in that battle, yet Hengst gained the victory: and after that, he began to reign with his son Aesc.

A.D. 456.

A.D. 457. Hengst and Aesc fought a battle with the Britons at a place called Creccanford, and slew four thousand of their men with the edge of the sword; the remainder entirely deserted Kent, and fled in great terror to London.

A.D. 458-464.

A.D. 465. Hengst and Aesc fought with the Britons near Wippedesfleote, that is, Wipped's passage; and slew twelve chiefs, and many others of the enemy, and only one of their own thanes named Wipped was killed.

A.D. 466-472.

A.D. 473. Hengst and Aesc fought for the fourth time against the Britons, and, gaining the victory, carried off booty beyond measure. In this battle the Britons fled from the Angles as from fire.

A.D. 474-476.

1 Eccl. Hist. I. xv.

A.D. 477. Aelle and his three sons, Cimen, Wlencing, and Cissa, came over to Britain with three ships, and landed at a place called Cymenesore, and there slew many of the Britons, and drove the others into the forest called Andredeslea.

A.D. 478-484.

A.D. 485. Aelle, in a battle with the Britons near MearcredesBurn, that is, Mearcred's Brook, slew many of them, and put the rest to flight.

A.D. 486, 487.

A.D. 488. Hengst died, after having vigorously governed the kingdom of Kent for thirty-four years. His son Aesc succeeded him in the kingdom, and reigned twenty-four years.

A.D. 489, 490.

A.D. 491. Olibrius the younger was consul. In the same year the emperor Zeno died. Saint Patric, archbishop of Ireland, died in perfect peace, aged 122 years. Aelle and his son Cissa took Andred-cester after a long siege, and exterminated its inhabitants down to the very youngest.

A.D. 492-494.

A.D. 495. In this year, two chiefs, namely Cerdic and his son Cynric, came over to Britain with five ships, and landing at a place called Cerdicsore, fought on the same day against the Britons, defeated them, and put them to flight.

A.D. 496-500.

A.D. 501. Port, and his two sons, Bida and Meagla, arrived in Britain with his two ships, at a place called Portesmuth, and slew many Britons, among whom was a young man of very high birth. A.D. 502-507.

A.D. 508. Cerdic, and his son Cynric, slew Natanleod, king of the Britons, and five thousand of his men with the edge of the sword; all the region, as far as Cerdicsford, was called Natanleod after his name.

A.D. 509-513.

A.D. 514. The West Saxons came over to Britain with three ships, and landed at a place called Cerdicsore. Their chiefs, Stuf and Wihtgar, were the nephews of Cerdic. They shortly afterwards attacked the Britons, and slew some, and put the rest to flight. A.D. 515-518.

A.D. 519. Cerdic and Cynric began to reign, and in the same year they fought against, and overcame the Britons at the place called Cerdicsford.

A.D. 520.

A.D. 521. Simmachus and Boetius were consuls. Saint Brigid, the Scotch virgin, died in Ireland.

A.D. 522-526.

A.D. 527. Cerdic and Cynric fought for the fourth time against the Britons at the place called Cerdicsleage.

A.D. 528, 529.

A.D. 530. Cerdic and Cynric took the Isle of Wight and gave it to their nephews Stuf and Wihtgar, and slew a few men at Wihtgarabirig [Carisbrook].

A.D. 531-533.

A.D. 534. Cerdic, the first king of the West Saxons, died, and his son Cynric reigned after him by himself for twenty-six years. A.D. 535-537.

A.D. 538. An eclipse of the sun took place on the 14th of the kalends of March [15th Feb.], and lasted from the first until the third hour.

A.D. 539.

A.D. 540.

An eclipse of the sun took place on the 12th of the kalends of July [20th June], and the stars showed themselves full nigh half-an-hour after the third hour of the day.

A.D. 541-543.

A.D. 544. Wihtgar, the nephew of Cerdic, king of the West Saxons, died, and was buried in Wihtgarabirig, that is, the city of Wihtgar.

A.D. 545, 546.

A.D. 547. Ida began to reign in the province of Bernicia, and he reigned twelve years. He had, by his queens, six sons, namely, Adda, Baelric, Theodric, Aethelric, Theodher, and Osmer; and six by his concubines, namely, Occ, Alric, Ecca, Oswold, Sogor, and Sogether. From these descended the royal line of the Northhumbrians. Ida was the son of Eoppa, who was the son of Esa, who was the son of Ingui, who was the son of Angenwit, who was the son of Aloc, who was the son of Benoc, who was the son of Brand, who was the son of Bealdeag, who was the son of Woden, who was the son of Frithelaf, who was the son of Frithulf, who was the son of Finn, who was the son of Godulf, who was the son of Geata.

A.D. 548-551.

A.D. 552. Cynric, king of the West Saxons, fought against the Britons, at a place called Searesbirig, and put them to flight. His father was Cerdic, who was the son of Elesa, who was the son of Esla, who was the son of Gewis, who was the son of Wig, who was the son of Freawine, who was the son of Freothegar, who was the son of Brand, who was the son of Bealdeag, who was the son of Woden.

A.D. 553-555.

A.D. 556. Cynric and Ceaulin fought against the Britons at Beranbyrig and put them to flight.

A.D. 557, 558.

A.D. 559. Aelle began to reign in the province of Deira, and he governed it vigorously for nearly thirty years. When Saint Gregory saw some English youths set for sale in the market-place at Rome, he said, in allusion to the name of this province, "Alleluiah, the praise of God the Creator must be sung in those parts." During Aelle's lifetime, Adda, the eldest son of Ida, reigned over the Bernicians seven years; Clappa, five years; Theoduulf, one year; Freothulf, seven years; Theodric, seven years; and Aethelric, two years the latter, on the death of Aelle, and the expulsion from the kingdom of his son Edwin, reigned five years over both provinces. Aelle was the son of Iffi, whose father was Wuscfrea, whose father

was Wilgels, whose father was Westorwalcna, whose father was Seomel, whose father was Suearta, whose father was Saefugel, whose father was Seabald, whose father was Siggeot, whose father was Suuebdeag, whose father was Siggar, whose father was Weagdeag, whose father was Woden.

A.D. 560. Ceaulin, the son of Cynric, began to reign over the West Saxons, and he reigned thirty-three years.

A.D. 561. Aethelbriht, king of Kent, began to reign, and according to Beda,' he reigned fifty-six years.

A.D. 562-564.

A.D. 565. Columba, priest and abbot, came from Ireland into Britain, the most potent king Bridius being king of the Picts, and converted the Northern Picts to Christianity. Hence he obtained from them the Island of Hii, for the purpose of building a monastery. A.D. 566, 567.

A.D. 568. While Aethelbriht, king of Kent, was waging war against Ceaulin, king of the West Saxons, and Cutha his brother, he was driven by them into Kent; and Oslaf and Cnebba, two of his ealdormen, were killed at Wibbandun.

A.D. 569, 570.

A.D. 571. Cuthulf, the brother of king Ceaulin, fought with the Britons, at a place called Bedanford; and gaining the victory, took from them four royal vills, namely, Liganburh, Egelesburh, Bensingtun, and Eignesham; and he died in the same year.

A.D. 572-576.

A.D. 577. Ceaulin, king of the West Saxons, and his son Cuthwine, fought with the Britons at a place called Deorham, and slew their three kings, Conmeail, Condidan, and Farinmeil, and many other men; and took from them three cities, namely, Glauwecester, Cirenceaster, and Bathanceaster.

A.D. 578-583.

A.D. 584. Ceaulin, king of the West Saxons, and his son Cutha, fought with the Britons at a place called Fethanleah. In this battle Cutha fell, fighting bravely in the thickest of the strife. But king Ceaulin gained the victory, and took from them much booty and many vills.

A.D. 585-587.

A.D. 588. Aelle, king of Deira, died in the thirtieth year of his reign, and after him, Aethelric, the son of Ida, reigned five years over both provinces.

A.D. 589. The holy father Columba,' with Saint Gall and other tried disciples, came from Ireland, the island of saints, into Burgundy; and there, by the permission of king Theodoric, he built the monastery of Luxeu. Driven thence by Brunihilda, he went into Germany, and left Saint Gall there: but he himself passed over into Italy and founded the monastery of Bobbio, where he became the head of a large congregation of monks.

A.D. 590.

1 Fccl. Hist. II. v.

2 On the history of St. Columba and his various ecclesiastical foundations, see Mabill. Annal. Ord. S. Bened. lib. viii. § 1.

A.D. 591. Ceol, the son of Cuthulf, who was the brother of king Ceaulin, began to reign, and he reigned five years over the West Saxons.

A.D. 592. There was a battle at a place called Wodnesbeorh, that is, Woden's Mount, and king Ceaulin was driven from his kingdom with great slaughter in the thirty-third year of his reign.

A.D. 593. Ceaulin, Cuichelm, and Crida perished. Aethelric, king of Northumbria died: Aethelfrith, his son, assumed the reins of government and held them twenty-four years: he had seven sons, namely, Eanfrith, Oswald, Oslaf, 'Oswiu, Offa, Osuudu, and Oslac, and one daughter, named Aebbe.

A.D. 594, 595.

A.D. 596. In the 147th year after the arrival of the Angles in Britain, and the fourteenth indiction, pope Gregory, moved by divine inspiration, sent Augustine, the servant of God, and several God-fearing monks with him, to preach the word of God to the English nation.

A.D. 597. The aforesaid teachers arrived in Britain this year, as Beda' testifies, and converted Aethelbriht, king of Kent, to Christianity, in the thirty-fifth year' of his reign. It was not long before the king advanced his teacher Augustine to the episcopal see of Canterbury, the metropolis of his kingdom. Supported by the king, Augustine obtained possession of a church which had been formerly built there by the Roman Christians, and consecrated it in the name of the Saviour. Ceolulf, son of Cutha, who was the brother of king Ceaulin, succeeded to the kingdom of the West Saxons, and he held it fourteen years: he was always at war either with the Angles, or Britons, or Picts, or Scots. He was the son of Cutha, who was the son of Cenric, who was the son of Cerdic. A.D. 598, 599.

A.D. 600. Ivo, the apostolic doctor, and truly an ambassador from heaven, and a renowned prelate, died; born, like the Star of the East, in Persia, he was destined by God for the western limits of Britain.

A.D. 601. In the nineteenth year of the reign of the emperor Mauritius, the fourth indiction, Gregory, in a letter to Augustine, decided that the bishops of London and York should alike receive the pall from Rome and be metropolitans.

A.D. 602.

A.D. 603. Aethelfrith, a very brave king, and most greedy of glory, did more damage to the Britons than any former English ruler. Large tracts of their country, the natives being either exterminated or subdued, he either made tributary to, or fit for the habitation of the Angles. Indignant at these successes, Aedan, king of the Scots, came with an immense army against him, but was defeated, and fled with only a few survivors. Aethelfrith put an end to this war at a place called Degsastan, in the eleventh year of his reign, and the first of that of the emperor Phocas. 1 See the Royal Genealogies.

2 Eccl. Hist. I. xxv. and xxvi.

3 We should perhaps rather read xxxvii.