Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England Part 25

CONTINUATION

_The Continuation of Bede._(1056)

In the year 731 King Ceolwulf was taken prisoner, and tonsured, and sent back to his kingdom; Bishop Acca was driven from his see.

In the year 732, Egbert(1057) was made Bishop of York, in the room of Wilfrid.

[Cynibert Bishop of Lindsey died.]

[In the year of our Lord 733, Archbishop Tatwine, having received the pall by Apostolic authority, ordained Alwic(1058) and Sigfrid,(1059) bishops.]

In the year 733, there was an eclipse of the sun on the 14th day of August about the third hour, in such wise that the whole orb of the sun seemed to be covered with a black and gloomy s.h.i.+eld.

In the year 734, the moon, on the 31st of January, about the time of c.o.c.k-crowing, was, for about a whole hour, coloured blood-red, after which a blackness followed, and she regained her wonted light.

In the year from the Incarnation of Christ, 734, bishop Tatwine died.

In the year 735, Nothelm was ordained archbishop; and bishop Egbert, having received the pall from the Apostolic see, was the first to be established as archbishop(1060) after Paulinus, and he ordained Frithbert,(1061) and Frithwald(1062) bishops; and the priest Bede died.(1063)

In the year 737, an excessive drought rendered the land unfruitful; and Ceolwulf, voluntarily receiving the tonsure, left the kingdom to Eadbert.(1064)

In the year 739, Edilhart,(1065) king of the West-Saxons, died, as did Archbishop Nothelm.

In the year 740, Cuthbert(1066) was consecrated in Nothelm's stead.

Ethelbald, king of the Mercians, cruelly and wrongfully wasted part of Northumbria, their king, Eadbert, with his army, being employed against the Picts. Bishop Ethelwald died also, and Conwulf,(1067) was consecrated in his stead. Arnwin(1068) and Eadbert(1069) were slain.

In the year 741, a great drought came upon the country. Charles,(1070) king of the Franks, died; and his sons, Caroloman and Pippin,(1071) reigned in his stead.

In the year 745, Bishop Wilfrid and Ingwald, Bishop of London, departed to the Lord.

In the year 747, the man of G.o.d, Herefrid,(1072) died.

In the year 750, Cuthred, king of the West Saxons, rose up against king Ethelbald and Oengus; Theudor and Eanred died; Eadbert added the plain of Kyle and other places to his dominions.(1073)

In the year 753, in the fifth year of King Eadbert, on the 9th of January,(1074) an eclipse of the sun came to pa.s.s; afterwards, in the same year and month, on the 24th day of January, the moon suffered an eclipse, being covered with a gloomy, black s.h.i.+eld, in like manner as was the sun a little while before.

In the year 754, Boniface,(1075) called also Winfrid, Bishop of the Franks, received the crown of martyrdom, together with fifty-three others; and Redger was consecrated archbishop in his stead, by pope Stephen.

In the year 757, Ethelbald, king of the Mercians, was treacherously and miserably murdered, in the night, by his own guards; Beornred(1076) began his reign; Cyniwulf,(1077) king of the West Saxons, died; and the same year, Offa, having put Beornred to flight, sought to gain the kingdom of the Mercians by bloodshed.

In the year 758, Eadbert, king of the Northumbrians, receiving St. Peter's tonsure for the love of G.o.d, and to the end that he might take the heavenly country by force,(1078) left the kingdom to his son Oswulf.

In the year 755, Oswulf was wickedly murdered by his own thegns; and Ethelwald, being chosen the same year by his people, entered upon the kingdom; in whose second year there was great tribulation by reason of pestilence, which continued almost two years, divers grievous sicknesses raging, but more especially the disease of dysentery.

In the year 761, Oengus,(1079) king of the Picts, died; who, from the beginning to the end of his reign, continued to be a blood-stained and tyrannical butcher; Oswin(1080) was also slain.

In the year 765, King Aluchred came to the throne.(1081)

In the year 766 A.D., Archbishop Egbert, of the royal race, and endued with divine knowledge, as also Frithbert, both of them truly faithful bishops, departed to the Lord.