Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649 is in Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

603 Battle of Degsastan

616 Death of Æthelberht King of Kent

628 Battle of Cirencester

633 Battle of Hatfield Chase

642 Battle of Maserfield

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 601

601. This year Pope Gregory (age 61) sent the pall to Archbishop Augustine (age 61) in Britain, with very many learned doctors to assist him; and Bishop Paulinus converted Edwin (age 15), king of the Northumbrians, to baptism.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 603

603. This year Aeden (age 43), king of the Scots, fought with the Dalreathians, and with Ethelfrith (age 31), king of the Northumbrians, at Theakstone; where he lost almost all his army. Theobald also, brother of Ethelfrith, with his whole armament, was slain. None of the Scottish kings durst afterwards bring an army against this nation. Hering, the son of Hussa, led the army thither.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 604

604. This year Augustine (age 64) consecrated two bishops, Mellitus and Justus. Mellitus he sent to preach baptism to the East-Saxons. Their king was called Seabert, the son of Ricola, Ethelbert's (age 54) sister, whom Ethelbert placed there as king. Ethelbert also gave Mellitus the bishopric of London; and to Justus he gave the bishopric of Rochester, which is twenty-four miles from Canterbury, Kent [Map].

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 606

606. This year died Gregory; about ten years since he sent us baptism. His father was called Gordianus, and his mother Silvia.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 607

607. This year Ceolwulf fought with the South-Saxons. And Ethelfrith (age 35) led his army to Chester, Cheshire [Map]; where he slew an innumerable host of the Welsh; and so was fulfilled the prophecy of Augustine, wherein he saith "If the Welsh will not have peace with us, they shall perish at the hands of the Saxons." There were also slain two hundred priests18, who came thither to pray for the army of the Welsh. Their leader was called Brocmail, who with some fifty men escaped thence.

Note 18. It was originally, perhaps, in the MSS. ICC. the abbreviation for 1,200; which is the number of the slain in Bede. The total number of the monks of Bangor is said to have been 2,100; most of whom appear to have been employed in prayer on this occasion, and only fifty escape by flight. Vide Bede, "Hist. Eccles." ii. 2, and the tribe of Latin historians who copy him.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 611

611. This year Cynegils succeeded to the government in Wessex, and held it one and thirty winters. Cynegils was the son of Ceol, Ceol of Cutha, Cutha of Cynric.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 614

614. This year Cynegils and Cwichelm fought at Bampton, and slew two thousand and forty-six of the Welsh.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 616

616. This year died Ethelbert (age 66), king of Kent, the first of English kings that received baptism: he was the son of Ermenric. He reigned fifty-six winters, and was succeeded by his son Eadbald. And in this same year had elapsed from the beginning of the world five thousand six hundred and eighteen winters. This Eadbald renounced his baptism, and lived in a heathen manner; so that he took to wife the relict of his father. Then Laurentius, who was archbishop in Kent, meant to depart southward over sea, and abandon everything. But there came to him in the night the apostle Peter, and severely chastised him19, because he would so desert the flock of God. And he charged him to go to the king, and teach him the right belief. And he did so; and the king returned to the right belief. In this king's days the same Laurentius, who was archbishop in Kent after Augustine, departed this life on the second of February, and was buried near Augustine. The holy Augustine in his lifetime invested him bishop, to the end that the church of Christ, which yet was new in England, should at no time after his decease be without an archbishop. After him Mellitus, who was first Bishop of London, succeeded to the archbishopric. The people of London, where Mellitus was before, were then heathens: and within five winters of this time, during the reign of Eadbald, Mellitus died. To him succeeded Justus, who was Bishop of Rochester, whereto he consecrated Romanus bishop.

Note 19. Literally, "swinged, or scourged him." Both Bede and Alfred begin by recording the matter as a vision, or a dream; whence the transition is easy to a matter of fact, as here stated by the Norman interpolators of the "Saxon Annals".

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 617

617. This year was Ethelfrith (age 45), king of the Northumbrians, slain by Redwald (age 47), king of the East-Angles; and Edwin (age 31), the son of Ella, having succeeded to the kingdom, subdued all Britain, except the men of Kent alone, and drove out the Ethelings, the sons of Ethelfrith, namely, Enfrid (age 27), Oswald (age 13), Oswy (age 5), Oslac, Oswood, Oslaf, and Offa.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 624

624. This year died Archbishop Mellitus.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 625

625. This year Paulinus was invested bishop of the Northumbrians, by Archbishop Justus, on the twelfth day before the calends of August.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 626

626. This year came Eamer from Cwichelm, king of the West-Saxons, with a design to assassinate King Edwin (age 40); but he killed Lilla his thane, and Forthere, and wounded the king. The same night a daughter was born to Edwin, whose name was Eanfleda. Then promised the king to Paulinus, that he would devote his daughter to God, if he would procure at the hand of God, that he might destroy his enemy, who had sent the assassin to him. He then advanced against the West-Saxons with an army, felled on the spot five kings, and slew many of their men. This year Eanfleda, the daughter of King Edwin, was baptized, on the holy eve of Pentecost. And the king within twelve months was baptized, at Easter, with all his people. Easter was then on the twelfth of April. This was done at York [Map], where he had ordered a church to be built of timber, which was hallowed in the name of St. Peter. There the king gave the bishopric to Paulinus; and there he afterwards ordered a larger church to be built of stone. This year Penda began to reign; and reigned thirty winters. He had seen fifty winters when he began to reign. Penda was the son of Wybba, Wybba of Creoda, Creoda of Cynewald, Cynewald of Cnebba, Cnebba of Icel, Icel of Eomer, Eomer of Angelthew, Angelthew of Offa, Offa of Wearmund, Wearmund of Whitley, Whitley of Woden.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 627

627. This year was King Edwin (age 41) baptized at Easter, with all his people, by Paulinus, who also preached baptism in Lindsey [Map], where the first person who believed was a certain rich man, of the name of Bleek, with all his people. At this time Honorius  succeeded Boniface in the papacy, and sent hither to Paulinus the pall; and Archbishop Justus having departed this life on the tenth of November, Honorius was consecrated at Lincoln, Lincolnshire [Map] Archbishop of Canterbury by Paulinus; and Pope Honorius sent him the pall. And he sent an injunction to the Scots, that they should return to the right celebration of Easter.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 628

628. This year Cynegils and Cwichelm fought with Penda at Cirencester, Gloucestershire [Map], and afterwards entered into a treaty there.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 632

632. This year was Orpwald baptized.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 633

633. This year King Edwin (age 47) was slain by Cadwalla and Penda, on Hatfield moor, on the fourteenth of October [Note. Some sources say 12 Oct 633]. He reigned seventeen years. His son Osfrid was also slain with him. After this Cadwalla and Penda went and ravaged all the land of the Northumbrians; which when Paulinus saw, he took Ethelburga (age 28), the relict of Edwin, and went by ship to Kent. Eadbald and Honorius received him very honourably, and gave him the bishopric of Rochester, where he continued to his death.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 634

634. This year Osric, whom Paulinus baptized, succeeded to the government of King of Deira. He was the son of Elfric, the uncle of Edwin. And to Bernicia succeeded Eanfrith (age 44), son of Ethelfrith. This year also Bishop Birinus first preached baptism to the West-Saxons, under King Cynegils. The said Birinus went thither by the command of Pope Honorius; and he was bishop there to the end of his life. Oswald (age 30) also this year succeeded to the government of the King Northumbrians, and reigned nine winters. The ninth year was assigned to him on account of the heathenism in which those lived who reigned that one year betwixt him and Edwin.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 635

635. This year King Cynegils was baptized by Bishop Birinus at Dorchester [Map]; and Oswald (age 31), king of the Northumbrians, was his sponsor.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 636

636. This year King Cwichelm was baptized at Dorchester [Map], and died the same year. Bishop Felix also preached to the East-Angles the belief of Christ.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 639

639. This year Birinus baptized King Cuthred at Dorchester [Map], and received him as his son.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 640

640. This year died Eadbald, King of Kent, after a reign of twenty-five winters. He had two sons, Ermenred and Erkenbert; and Erkenbert reigned there after his father. He overturned all the idols in the kingdom, and first of English kings appointed a fast before Easter. His daughter was called Ercongota - holy damsel of an illustrious sire! whose mother was Sexburga, the daughter of Anna, king of the East-Angles. Ermenred also begat two sons [Note. Æthelberht Oiscingas and Æthelred Oiscingas], who were afterwards martyred by Thunnor.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 642

642. This year Oswald, king of the Northumbrians, was slain by Penda, king of the Southumbrians, at Mirfield, on the fifth day of August; and his body was buried at Bardney. His holiness and miracles were afterwards displayed on manifold occasions throughout this island; and his hands remain still uncorrupted at Barnburgh. The same year in which Oswald was slain, Oswy (age 30) his brother succeeded to the government of the Northumbrians, and reigned two less than thirty years.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 643

643. This year Kenwal succeeded to the kingdom of the West-Saxons, and held it one and thirty winters. This Kenwal ordered the old20 church at Winchester [Map] to be built in the name of St. Peter. He was the son of Cynegils.

Note 20. This epithet appears to have been inserted in some copies of the "Saxon Chronicle" so early as the tenth century; to distinguish the "old" church or minster at Winchester from the "new", A.D. 903.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 644

644. This year died at Rochester, Kent [Map], on the tenth of October, Paulinus, who was first Archbishop at York, and afterwards at Rochester. He was bishop nineteen winters, two months, and one and twenty days. This year the son of Oswy's uncle (Oswin), the son of Osric, assumed the government of Deira, and reigned seven winters.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 645

645. This year King Kenwal was driven from his dominion by King Penda.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 646

646. This year King Kenwal was baptized.

Early Medieval Books, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 600-649, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 648

648. This year Kenwal gave his relation Cuthred three thousand hides of land by Ashdown. Cuthred was the son of Cwichelm, Cwichelm of Cynegils. [Note. Cuthred was nephew to Kenwal.].