Tynemouth. And king Æthelred took for a new wife her, who was named Elfled, on iii kal. Oct. (Sept. 29th)].1 793 [E]. Here dire forewarnings were come over the land of the Northumbrians and miserably terrified the folk: there were excessive [whirlwinds and] lightnings, and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air. To these tokens followed a great famine; and a little after that in the same year on vi id. Jan. (Jan. 8th) the harrying of heathen men lamentably destroyed God's church in Lindisfarne by means of plunder and slaughter. And Sige died on viii kal. Mar. (Feb. 22nd).

794 [A]. Here pope Adrian and king Offa died; and Ethelred king of the Northumbrians was slain by his own people [on xiii kal. May (April 19th)],1 and bishop Ceolwulf and bishop Eadbald departed from the land. And Egferth succeeded to the kingdom of the Mercians and died the same year. And Eadbert, who by a second name was named Præn, obtained the kingdom in Kent. [And Æthelhard aldorman died on kal. Aug. (Aug. 1st); and the heathen men harried amongst the Northumbrians and plundered Egferth's monastery at the mouth of the Done; and there one of their leaders was slain and also some of their ships wrecked by a storm; and many of them were drowned there and some came to shore alive and were straightway slain at the river's mouth.]1

795 [E]. Here the moon was eclipsed between cockcrow and dawn on v kal. April (Mar. 28th); and Eardwulf succeeded to the kingdom of the Northumbrians on ii id. May (May 14th). And afterwards he was blessed and raised to his throne on vii kal. June (May 26th) in York by archbishop Eanbald and Æthelbert and Higbald and Baldwulf.

3

796 [A]. Here Ceolwulf king of the Mercians harried

3 As king, by archbishop Eanbald and bishop Æthelbert and Higbald and bishop Baldwulf.-F.

the Kentish-men as far as [Romney] Marsh and took Præn their king and led him bound into Mercia. 796 [E]. Here died Offa king of the Mercians on iv id. Aug. (July 29th)-he reigned forty winters-and archbishop Eanbald on iv id. Aug. of the same year; and his body lies in York. And the same year died bishop Ceolwulf; and a second Eanbald was consecrated in the first's place on xix kal. Sept. (Aug. 14th). And the same year Ceolwulf king of the Mercians harried the Kentish-men and the inhabitants of Romney Marsh and took Præn their king and led him bound into Mercia.1 797 [A]. Here the Romans cut out the tongue of the pope Leo and put out his eyes and drove him from his see; and soon afterwards, God helping, he might see and speak and again was pope as he was before. [And Eanbald received his pall on vi id. Sept. (Sept 8th); and bishop Æthelbert died on xvii kal. Nov. (Oct. 16th) and Heardred was consecrated bishop in his place on iii. kal. Nov. (Oct. 30th.)]2 [And bishop Alfhun died in Sudbury and he was buried in Dunwich and Tidfrith was chosen after him; and

1 (And caused his eyes to be put out and his hands cut off.) And Æthelhard, archbishop of Canterbury, appointed a synod and confirmed and ratified by the command of pope Leo, all the matters concerning God's houses, which were appointed in Wihtgar's days and in other kings' days, and thus said: "I, Æthelhard, the humble archbishop of Canterbury, by the unanimous counsel of the whole synod to [the congregation of all the] monasteries and churches to which in old days immunity was given by faithful men, in the name of God and by his awful doom, I command, as I have command of pope Leo, that henceforth none dare to choose for themselves lords over God's heritage from amongst laymen. But even as it stands in the writ which the pope has given or as those holy men have appointed who are our fathers and instructors concerning holy houses, thus let them continue inviolate without any kind of gainsaying. If there be any man, who will not observe this ordinance of God and of our pope and of us-who despiseth and holdeth it for naught-let him know that he shall give account before the judgment-seat of God. And I Æthelhard archbishop with twelve bishops and three and twenty abbots do confirm and ratify this same with Christ's cross."-F.

2 E.

E

Siric king of the East-Saxons fared to Rome. Here in this same year the body of Wihtburg was found at Dereham-all whole and uncorrupted-five and fifty years after she departed from this life.]'

2

4

798 [E]. Here was a great battle at Whalley in the land of the Northumbrians, in the spring, on iv non. April (April 2nd); and there Alric son of Heardbert was slain and many others with him. 799 [A]. Here archbishop Æthelhard and Cynebert bishop of the West-Saxons fared to Rome. 800 [A] Here [the moon was eclipsed at the second hour in the night on xvii kal. Feb. (Jan 16th); and]3 king Berhtric died and Worr aldorman; and Egbert succeeded to the kingdom of the West-Saxons. And the same day Æthelmund aldorman rode from the Hwiccas over at Kempsford, when Weohstan aldorman met him with the men of Wiltshire. There was a great battle and there both the aldormen were slain and the men of Wiltshire got the victory. [Karolus rex imperator factus est, et a Romanis appellatus Augustus; qui illos qui Leonem papam dehonestaverant morte damnavit, sed precibus papæ morte indulta exilio retrusit. Ipse enim papa Leo imperatorem eum sacraverat].

3

3

802 [A]. Here [the moon was eclipsed at dawn on xiii kal. Jan. (Dec. 20th); and] Beornmod was consecrated bishop to Rochester.

803 [A]. Here [died Higbald bishop of Lindisfarne on

1 This is from F. The earlier portion of the annal is lost, and the precise year to which these events are assigned cannot therefore be gauged. Plummer puts them under 798. 3 E.

2 E has Æthelred, against all other MSS.

4 Filius Ealhmundi regis.-F Lat.

5 The only mention of the Hwiccas in the Chronicle. Their territory in the sixth century seems to have included Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and a large part of Hampshire. The kingdom first comes before our notice under its kings, Osric and Oshere (c. 675-695).

6 Tunc temporis extitit Cuthredus rex Cantie."-Inserted here in the Saxon, not in the Latin of F.

7D places this entry in the form in which it occurs in A under year 801, but repeats it in form of E under 802.

viii kal. July (June 24th) and Egbert was consecrated in his stead on iii id. June (June 11th); and]1 archbishop Æthelhard died [in Kent]' and Wulfred was consecrated archbishop and abbot Forthred died. 804 [A]. Here archbishop Wulfred received his pall. 805 [A] Here died king Cuthred among the Kentishmen and abbess Ceolburg and Heardbert aldorman. 806 [E]. Here the moon was eclipsed on kal. Sept. (Sept. 1st). And Eardwulf king of the Northumbrians was driven from his kingdom; and Eanbert bishop of Hexham died. [Also in the same year on ii non. June (June 4th) a cross appeared in the moon on a Wednesday at dawn; and afterwards in this year on iii kal. Sept. (Aug. 30th) a wonderful circle was seen about the sun].3 809 [E]. Here the sun was eclipsed at the beginning of the fifth hour of the day xvii kal. Aug. (July 16th), the 2nd day of the week, the 29th of the moon.

810 [E]. Karolus cum Niceforo imperatore Constantinopol. pacem fecit.

812 [A]. Here king Charles died and he reigned fortyfive winters; and archbishop Wulfred and Wigbert bishop of the West-Saxons both fared to Rome. [Cireneius Karolo imperatore legatos suos cum pace mittit. Karolus imperator obiit.]'

813 [A]. Here archbishop Wulfred with the blessing of the pope Leo returned to his own bishopric; and the same year king Egbert harried in West Wales from eastward to westward.

4

814 [A]. Here Leo the noble and holy pope died; and after him Stephen succeeded to the realm.1 816 [A]. Here pope Stephen died and after him Paschal was consecrated pope. And the same year was burnt the school of the English race.5

819 [A]. Here Cenwulf king of the Mercians died and

1 E.

2 Wulfred was chosen in his stead.-F. Popedom.-F.

3 F.

5 In Rome. The English school was a quarter near St. Peter's where the frequent pilgrims from this country resided at Rome. According to Anastasius they called it their "burgus "—which is the right technical term therefor (cf. note to 755).

Ceolwulf succeeded to the kingdom; and Eadbert aldorman died.

Here Ceolwulf was deposed from his kingdom. 822 [A]. Here two aldormen, Burghelm and Muca, were slain; and there was a synod at Clovesho. 823 [A]. Here was a battle between the Welsh' and the men of Devonshire at Galford; and the same year Egbert king [of the West-Saxons] and Beornwulf king [of the Mercians]2 fought at Ellendun, and Egbert got the victory, and there was great slaughter made. Then he sent from the fyrd his son Æthelwulf and Ealhstan his bishop and Wulfhard his aldorman into Kent with a large force, and they drove Baldred the king northwards over the Thames. And the men of Kent and the men of Surrey and the South-Saxons and the East-Saxons submitted to him, for formerly they had been wrongly forced away from his kin. And the same year the king of the East-Angles and the people sought king Egbert for ally and protector, from dread of the Mercians; and that year the EastAngles slew Beornwulf king of the Mercians. 825 [A]. Here Ludecan king of the Mercians was slain and his five aldormen with him; and Wiglaf succeeded to the kingdom.

827 [A]. Here the moon was eclipsed on the eve of midwinter. And the same year King Egbert conquered the kingdom of the Mercians and all that was south of the Humber; and he was the eighth king who was Bretwalda. Alle king of the South-Saxons was the first who had thus great dominion; the second was Ceawlin king of the West-Saxons; the third was Æthelbert king of the Kentish-men; the fourth was Redwald king of the East-Angles; the fifth was Edwin king of the Northumbrians; the sixth was Oswald who reigned after him; the seventh was Oswy, Oswald's brother; the eighth was Egbert king of the

1 By the Welsh are meant those of Cornwall (cf. 813). This represents the final reduction of Cornwall by Wessex.

2 E.

3 Octavus rex qui rexit Brythaniam.--F Lat.