Chronicle in Alfred's reign. Professor A. S. Napier, who edited another version of Alfred's time, with collations from five other texts, argued, from the spelling of some of the names, that a Note must have been written down not later than 750. It was doubtless preserved as a formula by memory from much earlier times. Some stages have evidently been dropped out. Ceawlin reigned not 542-57, but, according to the Chronicle, from 560 to 592 or 593. For a full discussion of this Note, see Modern Language Notes, xii., 105 February, 1897.

It was in the year when 494 winters had passed from the birth of Christ, that Cerdic and Cynric his son came up at Cerdices ora, with five ships. Cerdic was son of Elesa [the genealogy to Woden is then given]. And six years after they landed, they subdued the kingdom of the West Saxons, and they were the first kings who won the West Saxon land from the 'Welsh.' And he ruled for sixteen years. And when he died his son Cynric succeeded, and held the kingdom twentysix winters. Then he died. Then Ceawlin, his son, succeeded, and held it seventeen winters.

(b) From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (compiled c. 890).

Parker MS., corrected by comparison of other texts.

495. Two chieftains came to Britain, Cerdic and Cynric his son, with five ships, in the place which is called Cerdices ora, and that same day they fought against the Welsh.'

501. Port came to Britain, and his two sons, Bieda and Mægla, with two ships, in the place which is called Portsmouth, and they slew a young British man, a very noble

man.

508. Cerdic and Cynric slew a British king, named Natanleod, and five thousand men with him. And afterwards, the land was called Natan leaga up to Cerdices ford.

514. The West Saxons came to Britain with three ships, in the place which is called Cerdices ora; Stuf and Wihtgar fought against the Britons, and put them to flight.

519. Cerdic and Cynric took the kingdom, and the same year they fought against the Britons where it is now called Cerdices ford.

527. Cerdic and Cynric fought against the Britons in the place which is called Cerdices leaga.

530. Cerdic and Cynric took the Isle of Wight, and slew a few men in Wihtgaræsburg.

534. Cerdic died, and his son Cynric continued to reign for twenty-six winters: and they gave the Isle of Wight to their two kinsfolk, Stuf and Wihtgar.

...

544. Wihtgar died, and was buried in Wihtgaraburg. . . . 552. Cynric fought against the Britons in the place which is called Searoburg [Sarum] and put the Britons to flight.

556. Cynric and Ceawlin fought against the Britons at Beranburg.1

...

560. Ceawlin succeeded to the kingdom of Wessex. 568. Ceawlin and Cutha fought against Æthelberht, and drove him into Kent; and they slew two chiefs Oslaf and Cnebba, at Wibbandun.

571. Cuthwulf fought against the British at Biedcanford, and took four places Lygeanburg, Egelesburg [Aylesbury], Banesingtun [Bensington] and Egonesham [Eynsham], and died the same year.

577. Cuthwine and Ceawlin fought against the Britons, and they slew three kings, Coinmægl and Condidan and Farinmægl, in the place which is called Deorham [Dyrham], and took three cities, Gleawance aster [Gloucester], Cirenceaster [Cirencester] and Bathanceaster [Bath].

584. Ceawlin and Cutha fought against the Britons in the place which is called Fethanleag, and Cutha was slain. Ceawlin took many places, and countless booty, and in wrath he returned to his own lands.

592. There was great slaughter at Wodnesbeorg [probably near Alton Priors in Wiltshire] and Ceawlin was driven forth.

593. Ceawlin and Cwichelm and Crida perished.

'Barbury Camp, near Marlborough, Wilts.

2 Probably Limbury, on the Lea, near Luton.

IV. BRITAIN ACCORDING TO PROCOPIUS.

From the Gothic War, Book IV, cap. 20 [Greek]. See above, p. 68.

Three very populous nations possess the island of Brittia, and there is a king over each of them. And the names of these nations are the Angili, and the Frisians (Phrissones), and the Britons (Brittones) who have their name from the island. And so numerous are these nations that every year great numbers, with their wives and children, migrate thence to the Franks, and the Franks give them dwellings in that part of their land which seems most bare of men. From which fact they say that they make a claim to the island. So that indeed, not long since, the king of the Franks, when he despatched some of his own people on an embassy to the emperor Justinian at Byzantium, sent with them some men of the Angili, making a display, as if the island also was ruled by him.

V. NORTHERN ENGLAND.

(a) From the Historia Brittonum, capp. 61, 62.

The information in the Historia is clearly, in part, derived from a Northumbrian regnal list; but it fortunately notes the contemporary doings of the Celtic princes of the North.

Ida the son of Eoppa (Eobba) held districts in the north part of Britain, that is beyond the Humber, and reigned twelve years. . . Adda son of Ida reigned eight years. Ethilric (Aedlric) son of Adda1 reigned four years. Theodric (Deoric) son of Ida reigned seven years; Frithuwald (Friodolguald) reigned six years. In whose time the kingdom of Kent received baptism through the mission sent by Gregory." Hussa reigned seven years; against him fought four kings, Urbgen and Riderch hen,3 and Guallauc and Morcant. Theo

1 Æthilric, like the rest of these early kings, was really a son of Ida. 2 This seems to date Augustine's mission too early; Ethilfrid must have been reigning in Northumbria when Augustine came to Kent.

3 Adamnan's Life of Columba refers to Rydderch (Roderco filio Tothail qui in Petra Cloithe regnavit). He therefore reigned in Dumbarton, and was king of Strathclyde. Columba prophesied that he would die in his bed. And he did.

sons.

dric (Deodric) fought mightily against this Urbgen, with his At that time, sometimes the enemy and sometimes our citizens conquered; and Urbgen shut them up three days and nights in the island of Metcaud. And whilst he was on this campaign he was murdered, from envy, at the instance of Morcant, because in him, beyond all other kings, was the greatest valour in the waging of war.

(b) The Northumbrian 2 Regnal List, added to the Moore MS. of Bede's History.

This list comes down to the 8th year of Ceolwulf (737) and many other indications show it to have been written in that year. It is reproduced in the Facsimiles of the Palæographical Soc., First Ser., Vol. II., Pt. 2, No. 140.

In 547 Ida began to reign, from whom has its origin the royal stock of the Northumbrians, and he reigned twelve years. After him Glappa, 1 year; Adda, 8; Ethilric, 4; Theodric, 7; Frithuwald, 6; Hussa, 7; Æthilfrid, 24; Edwin, 18; Oswald, 9; Oswiu, 28; Ecgfrid, 15; Aldfrid, 20; Osred, 11; Coinred, 2; Osric, 11; Ceolwulf, 8.

VI. BEDE'S CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY.

From Bede's History, V, 24. (Compiled c. 731.)

547. Ida began to reign, from whom the kingly line of the Northumbrians has its origin; and he reigned twelve years. 565. Columba the priest came from the land of the Scots, [Ireland] to Britain, to teach the Picts, and built a monastery in the island of Hii [Iona].

596. Pope Gregory sent Augustine with monks to Britain to preach the word of God to the English people.

597. The aforesaid teachers arrived in Britain, being the hundred and fiftieth year, more or less, since the coming of the Angles to Britain.

1 Lindisfarne: for Tigernach records the foundation of the monastery there under the name of Metgoit.

Originally Bernician: Edwin of Deira is an intruder.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SEVENTH CENTURY (597-690).

THE CONVERSION OF ENGLAND, AND THE GREATNESS OF NORTHUMBRIA.

I. From the letter of Gregory to Candidus.

II. Gregory and the English boys, from the Life of Gregory by the Whitby monk.

III. The Mission of Augustine and the victories of Æthilfrid, from Bede's History.

IV. Celtic tradition of the victories of Ethilfrid, from the Annals of Tigernach and the Annales Cambriae.

V. Letter of Gregory to Bertha 'queen of the English.'

VI. Christianity under Ethilberht and his son, from Bede's

History.

VII. Extracts from the Laws of Ethilberht.

VIII. King Edwin and the Conversion of Northumbria, from Bede's History.

IX. Celtic tradition of Edwin, from the Historia Brittonum,

Annales Cambriae and Tigernach.

X. King Oswald of Northumbria, from Bede's History. XI. Celtic tradition of Oswald, from Adamnan's Life of Columba, the Historia Brittonum and the Annales Cambriae.

XII. Oswiu, Oswini and Aidan, from Bede's History. XIII. Penda of Mercia, from Bede's History.

XIV. Celtic tradition of the death of Penda, from the Historia Brittonum, Annales Cambriae and Tigernach.

XV. The Synod of Whitby, from the Life of Wilfrid by Eddi. XVI. Archbishop Theodore and Chad, from Bede's History. XVII. The Conversion of the South Saxons by Wilfrid, from Bede's History.

XVIII. The Plague at Jarrow, from the anonymous History of the

Abbots.